[Pontiac]

I can easily see a base staff of robotic waiters, supplemented by a few humans at busy times.

Not really.

Having waited tables in my youth I can say definitively that you do not want inexperienced wait staff on your floor during busy times.

It takes at least 6 months to get a green waiter(ess) up to speed. You don’t put a green waiter on the floor during your lunch or dinner rush. Two things are likely to happen if you do. The waiter will quit and/or you will have upset customers (certainly the latter and possibly the former).

Knowing what it takes to be a good waiter I am sure that robots are not yet ready to replace waiters in top notch restaurants.

Unless you are willing to eat entirely off the menu; that means no special orders, no substitutions, no refills on your water, coffee or pop, never send your steak back because it was not grilled the way you wanted then robots are not going to replace human waiters.

Any profession that depends on personal service is a long way from being in danger of being taken over by automation.

Fast food may go the way of automation but not fine dining.

[Salgak]

I give it twenty years. Robots are growing more complex and capable of far more complex activity than even a few years ago.

[sportutegrl]

Unless you are willing to eat entirely off the menu; that means no special orders, no substitutions, no refills on your water, coffee or pop, never send your steak back because it was not grilled the way you wanted then robots are not going to replace human waiters.

You never ordered a poboy from a Wawa before? You can customize your order much better than with a human clerk. Extra mayo, no cheese, double meat, etc.