Posted on 04/01/2024 11:37:09 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Operator Yum! Brands says about 45% of sales are digital
Yum! Brands, the operator of KFC, Pizza Hit, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill restaurants, is embracing technology with plans for "AI-powered" fast food, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The company has been increasing investment in technology and automation, with about 45%, or $30 billion, of sales being digital – nearly twice what it was in 2019 – Yum's chief digital and technology manager Joe Park told the newspaper. That is roughly double the level of 2019.
"Our vision of [quick-service restaurants] is that an AI-first mentality works every step of the way," Park told the Wall Street Journal. "If you think about the major journeys within a restaurant that can be AI-powered, we believe it’s endless."
With California's new minimum wage law taking effect Monday, meaning most fast-food workers will be paid $20 per hour, most restaurant operators are turning to AI to cut costs and increase sales, the Journal reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
And that, my friends, is how you win the franchise wars.
$20 minimum wage makes this technology cost-effective.
Artificial food?
Taco Bell was predicted in the movie Demolition man to have won the fast food wars.
This should be interesting.
California basically triggered a sea change that will affect all 50 states.
But this stuff is inevitable now. AI will replace millions of workers. Any kind of stupid, repetitive, boring, mindless work can be done by the AI we have now. And a huge percentage of modern work is stupid, repetitive, boring, and mindless.
It’s not about machines “waking up and taking over”. It’s just about logic processing sufficient to fill in stupid spreadsheets faster than you can down at the Insurance office, bank, or other cubicle farm.
AI pizza might have possibilities.
“With California’s new minimum wage law taking effect Monday, meaning most fast-food workers will be paid $20 per hour, most restaurant operators are turning to AI to cut costs and increase sales”
These minimum wage increases will help fund AI takeover of fast food outlets. I hardly frequent the places but I suspect many people will welcome their new AI overlords in comparison to the swath of bad attitude workers.
Look for the new Dog Walk Park Grass Clipping Pizza with cricket and centipede toppings. Yum!
Couldn’t get much worse, but maybe faster?
Automation and drive-thru only for fast food is where we’re headed.
Yep. Glad I stopped eating this junk.
Must be a lot of California’s using canes as often as they shoot self in the foot.
More tax money gone
I suspsect that dems will come up with some ridiculous plan like “every role that is filled by AI that could have been filled by a person will be fined at a rate $20 x 40 hours per week, to be pooled into a general welfare fund to pay a living wage to people who we will pay to not work.”
Now all restaurants are Taco Bell.
Yes, saw where robotic french friers are coming in (California) - and AI will be used for the drive-thrus.
There are already skeleton crews working at fast food places - and you will be ordering from a kiosk. Staff is already being reduced b/c of the new $20/hour minimum wage for fast food workers.
Economic illiterates pushed for this (including Gavin Newsom) without a clue as to how businesses are run - they’re run themselves right out of their jobs.
I noticed this is Starbucks new model in California - drive-thru only - or a walk up window - no inside area at all, no chairs or tables outside either.
I think this is to keep homeless from taking over their seating areas, bathrooms, etc., and cutting staff as well.
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