Posted on 05/21/2016 6:51:49 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
I see this as the start to a gradual move towards fully automated drop-in mini-food factories to replace the kitchen staff of fast food restaurants.
I think the easiest thing to automate next is the french fry station. The Wendy’s chili pots should be easy to automate too, using automated dispensing equipment to fill the chili cups. Really, from a technical standpoint, all of this is quite feasible and I imagine automation of much, if not most, of these cooking operations is in development right now.
The only thing stopping automation deployment is economics, namely automated equipment won’t be deployed as long as the current manual equipment operated by employees is cheaper than deploying new automated equipment. Increasing minimum wages, obamacare and all the rest are simply accelerating the deployment of such automation.
It now looks like the tipping point has been reached for the ordering process. No doubt every fast food operation in the U.S. will be keenly observing Wendy’s experience with their ordering kiosks, and should they be a success, the entire industry will very quickly embrace that technology.
At some point I’m guessing the Libs will make this illegal.
The actual minimum wage outside of a communist society is: $0.00. No work, no wage.
Yeah, I think Wendy’s learned their lesson about that with their now-failed (I think) drivethrough call center concept.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW15G-Lf9Yo
Addendum: It didn’t fail because of the outsourcing, it failed (at least around here) due to workers in the store itself not doing their jobs.
The Italians have already figured out how to replace the pizza restaurant with an automated kiosk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7_lxiU8eLM
” How long before they automate wives?
Husbands too.”
According to Zager & Evans, about 509 years from now. I think it’s going to be sooner than that.
When my oldest was in his teens, he had a friend who worked at Wendy’s, and he told me the secret to the chili, was that they never froze their burgers, and at the end of each shift, they would chop up the burger meat and put it in the chili.
I don’t know if they still do that, it’s probably pre-measured and frozen now, but I guess it was a way to get the most from your inventory.
In any event, I still love Wendy’s chili.
Actually there are many inevitable consequences. Automation is just one
Another one is inflation. Economics tells us that if an hourly worker is really worth $7.50 in 2016 dollars, and the government doubles his wage over the next few years there will be enough inflation to bring his new $15 wage down to $7.50 in purchasing power.
This inflation effects us all, not just the fast food worker. Essential, the real wages of most Americans are going to take hit. The elites will be able to prosper in an inflationary time, and many union members will be able to, at least in some ways, keep up with inflation.
The government always profits from inflation. Debt is inflated away.
The real losers are retirees and non-union workers. This is a wealth transfer from the old to the young.
It wont work. Jack tried it and so did Ronald. Both gave up on the idea. They will lose business and In and Out Burger will get busier.
Many do and have.
Wendy’s for lunch last week:
Their #1 with cheese, regular drink, regular fries; $6.75.
Central TX.
Whataburger, Burger King, Jack in the Box all similar or more expensive.
And these are the basic burgers.
All these chains offer “gourmet” burgers that are $9-10$ per offering.
Here in Texas, the only cheap lunch offerings are Julio taco stands.
Yes, no inflation, no price increases. Ignore what you see and believe the news. Best economy ever...../S
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