Posted on 07/27/2015 8:55:24 AM PDT by Hojczyk
Fifty years ago, the engineers of AMF's Central Research Labs in Stamford, CT invented automated foodservice. This entertaining film (circa 1964) describes a pilot operation for the then-burgeoning fast-food industry.
Watch as hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, seafood, french-fries, onion rings, shakes, and soft drinks are ordered, prepared, and packaged automatically by AMF's revolutionary AMFare System.
All the food was delicious, especially the flame-broiled hamburgers, double-hamburgers and cheeseburgers. The entire menu was cooked-to-order and served in minutes - at the desired temperature for each item.
AMF's Orbis system (shown here) pioneered the concept of electronic ordering, price tabulation, and inventory management in foodservice. Today that is the standard worldwide. However, AMF's Orbis system went further; it electronically controlled the machinery that prepared, cooked, and packaged the food items. AMF's automated beverage dispensers (also shown here) are today common at the "drive-through windows" of many fast-food operations.
It failed because it couldn’t spit in your burger.
Waiter, there’s a bowling pin in my soup.
It failed because the machine understood English.
If AMF invented it, I wonder why it was never installed in bowling alleys?
Nao se habla, huh?
How’s that 15 bucks per hour looking now?
Can’t help you. there’s a strike in the kitchen.
Gotta love the music and the vibe of that film.
Of course I can’t help but visualize Lucille Ball working the controls of the Amfare console and producing 7,314 strawberry shakes.
;^)
Whenever I see a short from this era, I think of how MST3K use to riff on them.
LOL!
They already have pizza and french fry vending machines
And a 70's vintage Harley Davidson.
This film would've gone well with Powerhouse, that jazz number so well known from Looney Tunes soundtracks.
Every machine in the video should have expired patents. With modern upgrading for food safety and digital controls/new developments, could be a low cost way for a tech-type to start up discount priced fast food place ...
McDonald’s cooks their products on specific timers and when the buzzers go off you are expected to sear, turn and pull meat.
While the meat is cooking, the buns are prepared with condiments and when the final buzzer goes off the meat is placed on the buns and packaged.
Currently, McDonald’s has machines which dispense the exact amount of fries to fulfill an order.
Other than special orders, there is no reason why a machine can’t automate the process, eliminating most of the staff on grills and fryers.
Heck, the military has automated the charging and loading of munitions, with computers and automation eliminating most of the tasks for delivering a missile or bomb, aboard destroyers and even field artillery.
But the fast food industry can’t automate their processes?
“Computer! Earl Grey Tea...”
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