Toggle sidebar

OT: Robot Waiters

Y

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,521
37,125
113
My company just had a late holiday lunch at an Indian Restaurant in Franklin Park- The Spice Rack. And it was the first time I saw a robot waitr being used?

Has anyone else experienced these? I thought it was novel but when it began serving- it was one plate at a time, you had to take it off yourself and pass t to who ever it was for and it was super slow. You also had to order via a scan code on the table. They did have a busboy to pick up plates and check on drinks etc.

The bill came- and they still had the standard recommendation of 15/20/25 % tips.

Who the hell am I tipping? I would think if you really are getting minimal human service, why would it be any more than maybe 5% for the busboy?

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this before
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: brgRC90 and newell138
R

RUschool

Heisman
Jan 23, 2004
49,910
14,001
78
yesrutgers01 said:
My company just had a late holiday lunch at an Indian Restaurant in Franklin Park- The Spice Rack. And it was the first time I saw a robot waitr being used?

Has anyone else experienced these? I thought it was novel but when it began serving- it was one plate at a time, you had to take it off yourself and pass t to who ever it was for and it was super slow. You also had to order via a scan code on the table. They did have a busboy to pick up plates and check on drinks etc.

The bill came- and they still had the standard recommendation of 15/20/25 % tips.

Who the hell am I tipping? I would think if you really are getting minimal human service, why would it be any more than maybe 5% for the busboy?

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this before
Click to expand...
Give the busboy 10% and you still save 10%. Also the owner needs to recoup the robot cost.
 
newell138

newell138

Heisman
Aug 1, 2001
35,544
44,997
112
robots have feelings too, still need to tip.

 
Y

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,521
37,125
113
rutgersdave said:
Give the busboy 10% and you still save 10%. Also the owner needs to recoup the robot cost.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure a BB gets more than 5% of a tip when you tip a real waiter. I don't think they usually split a 20% tip. The cost of the robot is covered by not paying a waiter and I am sure, in the price as well.
 
F

fsg2_rivals

Heisman
Apr 3, 2018
10,881
13,184
0
Sounds weird and not ready for market. All wow factor that probably underwhelms.

Use robots for repetitive back-of-house prep (if amything) for now.
 
Y

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,521
37,125
113
chiphi80 said:
Don't be cheap. Tip the staff. Maybe not 20% though.
Click to expand...
Interesting enough, asked the boss about it and he told me they put an 18% tip on it already.
And I am never cheap, but who are you tipping?
Like I said, we really only had a busboy and would love to be fair to him and would guess at a normal wait staff restaurant- a BB most likely gets 5% of a 20% tip.
 
W

WasatRutgers

Senior
Apr 18, 2005
839
539
0
Did the robot get the order right? That right there would be an improvement. I find it frustrating ordering on the phone or in person when they get it wrong, whereas ordering online at least gets the cook something directly in writing from the customer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: milktruck
R

RUevolution36

All-American
Sep 18, 2006
8,165
5,647
113
yesrutgers01 said:
My company just had a late holiday lunch at an Indian Restaurant in Franklin Park- The Spice Rack. And it was the first time I saw a robot waitr being used?

Has anyone else experienced these? I thought it was novel but when it began serving- it was one plate at a time, you had to take it off yourself and pass t to who ever it was for and it was super slow. You also had to order via a scan code on the table. They did have a busboy to pick up plates and check on drinks etc.

The bill came- and they still had the standard recommendation of 15/20/25 % tips.

Who the hell am I tipping? I would think if you really are getting minimal human service, why would it be any more than maybe 5% for the busboy?

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this before
Click to expand...
I've been going there for years. Really like the food, but service isn't their strong suit. The owners keep saying that they are short staffed and can't hire anyone so they got the robot. I don't buy it. There's plenty of other Indian restaurants in the area that don't have staffing shortages.
 
  • Like
Reactions: yesrutgers01
Y

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,521
37,125
113
RUevolution36 said:
I've been going there for years. Really like the food, but service isn't their strong suit. The owners keep saying that they are short staffed and can't hire anyone so they got the robot. I don't buy it. There's plenty of other Indian restaurants in the area that don't have staffing shortages.
Click to expand...
We do tech staffing so most of the office is Indian and this is their go to place. I love all ethic foods.
Food was very good- it was also nice that one of the ladies that has been going there a long time- ordered all of the appetizers based on who may be vegetarian, meat eaters, heat, etcā€¦
I had the chance to eat a lot of things I may not have ever ordered previously.
Robot was very slow though.
 
K

koleszar

Heisman
Jan 1, 2010
35,553
55,245
113
yesrutgers01 said:
My company just had a late holiday lunch at an Indian Restaurant in Franklin Park- The Spice Rack. And it was the first time I saw a robot waitr being used?

Has anyone else experienced these? I thought it was novel but when it began serving- it was one plate at a time, you had to take it off yourself and pass t to who ever it was for and it was super slow. You also had to order via a scan code on the table. They did have a busboy to pick up plates and check on drinks etc.

The bill came- and they still had the standard recommendation of 15/20/25 % tips.

Who the hell am I tipping? I would think if you really are getting minimal human service, why would it be any more than maybe 5% for the busboy?

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this before
Click to expand...
I know you had no choice as it was a work holiday lunch. But if I had walked in as a patron, I probably would have walked out. I would have said to the owner, "That's cute, good luck with that, but I'm here for a dining experience, not an automat."
 
  • Like
Reactions: rurichdog, Sweet Peas Corner, RUScrew85 and 2 others
B

brgRC90

Heisman
Apr 8, 2008
34,957
15,858
0
Tipping has gotten out of hand but that's beyond out of Hand. The whole point of a robot is to dispense with human workers and their costs. If I have to tip I want a human that can respond to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: goru1869, Kbee3 and yesrutgers01
M

motorb54

All-Conference
Dec 22, 2005
9,934
4,249
113
koleszar said:
I know you had no choice as it was a work holiday lunch. But if I had walked in as a patron, I probably would have walked out. I would have said to the owner, "That's cute, good luck with that, but I'm here for a dining experience, not an automat."
Click to expand...
Are you old enough to remember automats?
I remember as a kid being in NYC and each dish was in a separate cubbie and you bought it like using a vending machine. Full dinners in this section. Sandwiches over there. Desserts (I had lemon meringue pie...why do I remember that?) over there.
Horn and Hardart IIRC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RUDutch, blueoyster, RAHWAYBOB and 3 others
wheezer

wheezer

Heisman
Jun 3, 2001
169,045
24,655
113
motorb54 said:
Are you old enough to remember automats?
I remember as a kid being in NYC and each dish was in a separate cubbie and you bought it like using a vending machine. Full dinners in this section. Sandwiches over there. Desserts (I had lemon meringue pie...why do I remember that?) over there.
Horn and Hardart IIRC.
Click to expand...
Horny and hardup? šŸ˜ƒ
 
K

koleszar

Heisman
Jan 1, 2010
35,553
55,245
113
motorb54 said:
Are you old enough to remember automats?
I remember as a kid being in NYC and each dish was in a separate cubbie and you bought it like using a vending machine. Full dinners in this section. Sandwiches over there. Desserts (I had lemon meringue pie...why do I remember that?) over there.
Horn and Hardart IIRC.
Click to expand...
Yes, I was a little kid when my mom took us to the last one in NYC. Too young to remeber specifics, but I do remember putting coins/tokens in the slot and you opened a glass door to get the food inside. I imagine a robot waiter would give you the same type of personal service.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: yesrutgers01
Y

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
121,521
37,125
113
motorb54 said:
Are you old enough to remember automats?
I remember as a kid being in NYC and each dish was in a separate cubbie and you bought it like using a vending machine. Full dinners in this section. Sandwiches over there. Desserts (I had lemon meringue pie...why do I remember that?) over there.
Horn and Hardart IIRC.
Click to expand...
Those were my Dadā€™s favorites in the late 60ā€™s early 70ā€™s- he thought they were the coolest things- and as kids- we did too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rurichdog
C

CollegeSenior

All-Conference
Apr 2, 2021
1,214
2,052
66
I just had to check out this place onlineā€¦Indian/Thai/Chinese with Chopsuey on the menu! served by robots with an automatic 18% tip. That sounds like a comedy sketch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kbee3 and yesrutgers01
K

Kbee3

Heisman
Aug 23, 2002
43,724
35,255
0
ruinac said:
I just had to check out this place onlineā€¦Indian/Thai/Chinese with Chopsuey on the menu! served by robots with an automatic 18% tip. That sounds like a comedy sketch.
Click to expand...
So many of my favorite restaurants ARE my favorite restaurants because of the talents of the waiters, who do so much to make one's visit a special occasion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ruinac_rivals and yesrutgers01
R

RUBlackout7

All-Conference
Apr 10, 2021
1,535
2,097
0
There are no bigger scumbags than restaurant owners.

They somehow fooled everyone to pay their staff via tips rather than paying themselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NickRU714
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom