Are robot fast food joints the result of Californias 20$ an hour minimum wage?

[hadit]

There are two automated McDonald's here. One was closed and refurbished the other was built as automated. I know a woman that is a McDonald's manager.

The Franchises have three employees each. Drive thru window, running the automated prep functions and one that will bring out food to anyone in the dining room, do general cleaning and give lunch and break relief. The manager has six McDonald's that she visits daily. These changes were made when the minimum wage was raised to $15.00 an hour.

That's what to expect in the future. Raise labor costs higher than the cost of automation, and, with today's and tomorrow's technology, machines WILL do the work.

 

[Anathema]

Personally I'd wager it's due to the minimum wage hike for fast food workers. Anyone that runs a business knows employees are your biggest expense.

I don’t think it’s the wage issue as much as it is the liability issue with employees.

My wife and I now have four different fast food restaurants we won’t visit in my area because their employees cannot carry out simple instructions like “cheeseburger, NO MUSTARD.” I’ll happily pay more for a robot to GRT MY ORDER RIGHT.

 

[DudleySmith]

Ah, more anecdotal stories. The 'fully automated McDonald's' here had at least 10 employees running round, and there were exactly 3 customers including myself. lol and despite being only a couple of months old. I drive by the other day and they had to have a human outside taking orders by hand. Even more hilarious.

Google 'robot makers go bankrupt' for a lot of non-anecdotal stories about crap technology. lol

 

[DudleySmith]

That's what to expect in the future. Raise labor costs higher than the cost of automation, and, with today's and tomorrow's technology, machines WILL do the work.

And they don't buy anything, pay rents, etc. You will end up with 100 armchair 'shareholders' hoping they can mooch off 3 employees. lol lol lol