Posted December 15th 2006 2:02PM

According to a recent survey conducted by Channel Media & Market Research two out of three US restaurant operators are implementing or testing self-service technology that would allow customers to place orders through kiosks or online. Many of these restaurants expect to begin installing these self-service solutions in 2007.

"Restaurants are embracing self-service because of speed, customer satisfaction, accuracy and customer data capture capabilities. The biggest reported challenges involve cost and integration with existing systems."

The automation of restaurants is the first step within a larger trend that will eventually automate the entire service industry, which currently employs 70% of the United States working population. The displacement of these workers will bring on a new great depression unless a creative response is conceived and implemented beforehand. The automation of the service industry doesn't have to be a bad thing. People don’t need to flip hamburgers. Maybe they can do more.

Source - FutureWire

Posted December 15th 2006 7:52PM

Yale Skull and Bones should probably be contacted.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/02/60minutes/main576332.shtml

Technocracy

Posted December 18th 2006 10:59AM

I haven't read extensively on Technocrazy, but it doesn't sound possible to me. It's another eutopian promise like socialism that looks good on paper but doesn't work in reality.

At the same time, I don't know how our capitalistic democracy will deal with the automation of jobs that represent 70% of the employment in the country. OTOH, this will take a very long time. Electronic kiosks are nice in some settings but I think it will take a while before a nice restaurant will do away with pretty bartenders and waitresses.

Posted December 18th 2006 11:54AM

Capitalism could not handle the automation of jobs. This is why countries like China are going to pose a threat in the future. Utopian ideas may not work 100% but you have to look at our world today and realize there are a lot of things about it that aren't working.

Look into it.

Posted December 19th 2006 12:17AM

Technocracy is an American science originally conceived as a response to the great depression. Something needs to be done to prepare for the next industrial revolution and the displacement it will create. The scientific solution designed specifically to handle that seems suitable to me.