Part of the joy I get from dining out is speaking with the hopefully pleasant, attentive and polite waitstaff about the menu, the restaurant, or the day in general.
It’s more than just a data dump which ends in a hot meal on the table. Good employees add to the ambiance. This realization may take a while, a few years perhaps, but smarter restaurants and other small businesses will find a way to maintain their humanity while improving their efficiency.
I live on the road in the South and try to hit a Cracker Barrel or Waffle House breakfast 2-3 times a week.
I get in early, usually around 6-7am. The people I meet are great. The servers especially are very nice and love to talk.
They will make any breakfast you want. The Menu is just a guide to what they offer.
Lifelong bachelor who eats out nearly everyday. I don't get a kiss at the door and a "have a good day" or a smile and a "how was your day?" on return. Instead, I have my favorite places to eat and favorite waitresses to see that give me a somewhat similar experience. Nothing like a pretty waitress with a warm hug and a little back scratch to send me on my way. I tip them well and they can't wait to see me come through the door. No robot can replace that.
A different server (female) waited on the table next to us. She spent almost half the time we were there conversing with the one customer (female) at that table.
I was thinking, and almost said out loud, “Why don’t you just join her for lunch?”
If the waitress.... sorry, “server” needs a friend that bad, she should get a dog. Déjà vu all over again. (Yogi Berra)
My favorite Yogism is “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” I ALWAYS follow that advice.