Although most restaurants frequently use human workers to serve you food and ask for your orders, many restaurants have now moved to automated ordering. They might also use robots behind the scenes that you don’t see.
However, there are advantages and challenges to using robots in restaurants. The most benefits are that the servers can concentrate more on other work while the robots do the repetitive tasks that no one wants. There is also better success in customer satisfaction.
Some of the main challenges are that robots need repair work frequently, and there will always be some customers that do not trust robots in restaurant settings.
Advantages of Using Service Robots in the Restaurant Industry
• Increased efficiency and speed of service. Robots offer consistent work and are very efficient in the position they can do. Customers will also be able to receive their food faster, which means another table will open sooner for more customers.
• Improved accuracy and consistency in food preparation and service. Each time a customer visits your restaurant, they will receive the same service and food, which is good for your reputation.
• Enhanced customer experience and satisfaction. Customers will always experience fewer wait times with a robot delivering the food. This improves the overall customer satisfaction rates. Many people will also prefer to give their orders to the robot rather than wait for a human server to come around.
• Reduced labor costs and turnover rates. You must pay for their training and salaries each time you hire a new worker. When someone quits, you must spend time and money looking for new workers. With robots, you never have to worry about someone quitting, which removes the stress of looking for a new person.
• Improved food safety and hygiene. Robots can deliver the food to the customers without a person touching their food and plates. This decreases the chance of the food becoming contaminated, which can potentially make someone sick.
• Reduced wait times and increased table turnover. Without a robot doing the repetitive work and removing some of the duties from the servers, you will experience increased table turnover. This allows you to get more customers and, in turn, more money. Your customers will also experience fewer wait times which will keep them returning for food in the future.
Challenges of Using Service Robots in the Restaurant Industry
• High initial investment costs. One of the significant disadvantages when it comes to using robots is that not every restaurant or company will not be able to afford one. If you decide to get a robot, it’s a significant investment. You will need to upfront quite a sum of money to get one.
• Limited functionality and flexibility. Despite all the great things robots can do, they are not functional or as flexible as humans. Robots cannot show sympathy when an order is done wrong or when a customer is not happy.
• Need for maintenance and repair. All robots need regular maintenance to be able to function well. You will also need to repair work occasionally when something breaks.
• Potential job displacement and concerns about ethical implications. Some of your servers may lose their jobs because you need less wait staff. There is also the potential that some people will stop coming to your restaurant because they prefer to support places that give people jobs.
• Challenges in integrating service robots with existing restaurant infrastructure and workflows. Not all your workers will be happy about the robots. Some may want to quit, and others will not be willing to integrate with the service robots.
• Potential customer discomfort or distrust towards service robots. While some customers may love the robots, there will also be some that will feel weird around them. Some may also not trust giving their payment information over.
Reeman Service Robots Solution
Reeman has many different service robots that you can integrate with your current restaurants. There are many other options, so a perfect solution exists for you and your restaurant company.
Here are some of the great things that Reeman service robots offer:
● Able to deliver food automatically according to the table location
● Can go down narrow passages and get around people and obstacles
● High efficiency and precision to always know which table and which person to give the food to
● Advertising screens to display the menu and give suggestions on what the person should order
● Incorporate marketing solutions
● A perfect way to give your customers a unique dining experience
Reeman has several different service robots. The main ones are:
Each has its unique characteristics, but they are all designed to give your employees and customers a perfect experience when they enter your restaurant, whether it’s to work or to eat.
Future Implications and Conclusion
Robots have the potential to change how people dine in at restaurants completely. It’s no secret that servers have many different duties. Restaurants tend to be understaffed, meaning servers are taking on more tables and customers than normal.
This can quickly lead to burnout and them feeling overwhelmed. While some people believe that robots will take over the jobs of people in restaurants, there are many ways that they can work together and complement one another rather than compete.
Servers should be able to focus more on the customer and let the robot do mundane tasks like delivering the food and taking payments.
As we work towards a more technologically advanced society, people can work with robots better and become used to seeing them when they eat out at restaurants.