# Self-ordering at restaurants - an idea whose time has come(?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 14, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443 "2011-06-14T15:52:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/21 "2011-06-14T20:11:56Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > Regarding automats… > > From what I’ve read, it was…a necessary consequence of the food having to sit in the automat until someone ordered it. Even at the greasiest diner, at least you were getting your food freshly cooked. Plus, after the costs of delivering food to the automats and maintenance of the machines, they weren’t much cheaper than diner meals, which was probably why automats lost their business to diners. > > Plus, automats got a bad rep for being places you would only go to if you were, well, down on your luck. [Take a look at Edward Hopper’s painting “Automat”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat_%28painting%29) and tell me whether that depicts the kind of place you’d love to go to for rounding out your Friday night. Even people who _liked_ automats realized they were about as low on the restaurant totem pole as you could get without going to a soup kitchen. > > If I had to guess, I’d say that one of the things people want from a restaurant experience, whether they realize it or not, is human interaction. Self-service might work in an airport or a library because there eating food is secondary to traveling or reading. That’s not so in a restaurant, where it’s all about the meal. If you people are talking about the Horn & Hardart Automat, you are wrong, wrong wrong. I ate there, plenty, in fact it was the first restaurant I at at by myself. The ones in New York had good food, at least to me. It was busy enough that the food got replaced very quickly, and I never had old or cold or over heated food. I still remember Macaroni and Cheese there quite fondly. They cooked the food there also, it was not trucked in. I always went during the day time, so maybe at 1 am the Hopper painting might be accurate, but he made everything look depressing. A lot more space between tables in his painting than I remember also. I’m not the only one who loved automats. The last time I passed the Automat on 42nd street in New York, in the early '90s, it had been rented out for a bar mitzvah. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/22 "2011-06-14T20:14:42Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > I hate handling the tip process and so automation in food service will be a boon to me. And for fast food, I think the cost reductions will help keep prices down, which is a pretty high priority for me if I’m just grabbing something to fill me up. > > I don’t know about it for fine dining, however. The wait staff provide a valuable service that is part of the ‘experience’ so I hope it doesn’t move too far up the value chain. Even if it’s automated, wouldn’t the waitstaff still be bring you your food/clearing it away/refilling drinks/bringing you any other things you need? And thus, wouldn’t a tip still be needed? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/23 "2011-06-14T20:16:35Z")
> [@QuarkChild](#): > > I’ve been wondering about this myself, especially for sit-down restaurants (not so much McDonalds, which is fast food anyway.) It would be ideal for parents of young children. Parent #1 drives the car while parent #2 places the order from the passenger seat and pre-pays. When they arrive, the food is ready immediately, and they can leave as soon as they’re done. The kids would have a much easier time behaving if they don’t have to wait for their food. > > It would really speed things up for everyone, not just families with kids. The only wrinkle I can think of is that it could get confusing if you have to split checks–different people would submit different orders but they’d all have to arrive at the same table and be ready at the same time. But that’s probably not too much of a sticking point. > > Phreesh has a good point about the whole tip thing. Almost all of the chain sit down restaurants I know have take out areas now. I don’t know what happens if you want to sit at a table, though. At any decent place the waitperson is going to try to upsell you, so purely automatic ordering is going to hurt the sales of the restaurant. There are some people who ask about menu items also. Not so much in fast food. I have been to a Jacks with a kiosk which was fine except that there was only one of them, the person before me ordered for a family of 8, and I felt pressured to order quickly at something I was unfamiliar with. I suspect a couple of them would be good, though. ---
**Author:** ![Uber\_the\_Goober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/58956e/32.png) [@Uber\_the\_Goober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uber_the_Goober)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/24 "2011-06-14T20:53:05Z")
That won’t fly with me. I pay the extra money because I want to sit in a comfy chair and have my food brought to me by a pleasant person while enjoying a decent atmosphere. Otherwise I’d just cook at home… ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/25 "2011-06-14T21:23:48Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I’m just envisioning being stuck waiting behind people punching randomly at the touch screen, signing their name with a real pen on the screen when it’s time to pay, etc. > \ > Maybe lots of kiosk touchscreens would help. This was brought up in the other thread, but I think it’s pretty much a non-issue. In a few years, 95% of people will be carrying around their own touchscreens in their pockets. You won’t have to wait in line behind anybody. Just pull out your phone and order. Chipotle’s already figured this out. All they need now is a quick and easy way for someone who’s never been there before to configure their phone to use the app and know which restaurant they’re in. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/26 "2011-06-14T22:37:21Z")
Another “no” vote, because it’s bad enough having to wait for retarded people to retardedly give their orders orally, retardedly get their money together and pay (like it’s a major fucking surprise or something), and retardedly pull the fuck away from the window with their retarded order, much less wait for them to retardedly try to figure out the (seemingly incomprehensible, to a retard) technology of placing an order with a touch screen. And I’m not even counting the retards that work there. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/27 "2011-06-14T22:55:40Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Another “no” vote, because it’s bad enough having to wait for retarded people to retardedly give their orders orally, retardedly get their money together and pay (like it’s a major fucking surprise or something), and retardedly pull the fuck away from the window with their retarded order, much less wait for them to retardedly try to figure out the (seemingly incomprehensible, to a retard) technology of placing an order with a touch screen. And I’m not even counting the retards that work there. But, but… what if the soda had _electrolytes_? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/28 "2011-06-14T23:00:16Z")
Well, then, that’s different. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/29 "2011-06-15T00:12:11Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > This was brought up in the other thread, but I think it’s pretty much a non-issue. > > In a few years, 95% of people will be carrying around their own touchscreens in their pockets. You won’t have to wait in line behind anybody. Just pull out your phone and order. > > Chipotle’s already figured this out. All they need now is a quick and easy way for someone who’s never been there before to configure their phone to use the app and know which restaurant they’re in. Hey, I even mentioned Chipotle up thread as one of the app-providing places. I’m all for both, or for smartphone only (because I’m just that selfish), but not kiosk only, which is what the linked article seems to be discussing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/30 "2011-06-15T00:21:14Z")
Ever heard of the Automat? Or vending machines? It’s doable. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/31 "2011-06-15T03:00:10Z")
When I lived in Naples, FL in 1992, Arbys had a self ordering kiosk. It was cool, you just touched the screen and when you were done you could pay by credit card and it gave you a pick up ticket. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/32 "2011-06-15T12:31:14Z")
Sheetz does the self-ordering thing. If you want food, you go up to the screen, make your selections, then go to the cashier to pay for it. They won’t give you your order until you pay for it, which solves that problem. I like Sheetz. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/33 "2011-06-15T16:39:35Z")
If placing the order is part of the job, then I’m taking my part of the tip. What should I give to the waiter for what’s left of her/his job-7%? 9%? ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/34 "2011-06-15T17:01:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If placing the order is part of the job, then I’m taking my part of the tip. What should I give to the waiter for what’s left of her/his job-7%? 9%? I would assume it would be a similar thing to what you tip servers and bussers at a buffet. They still have to clean your dirty plates and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/35 "2011-06-15T17:05:53Z")
I agree - should be based on something like a buffet ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/36 "2011-06-15T17:11:50Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > Sheetz does the self-ordering thing. If you want food, you go up to the screen, make your selections, then go to the cashier to pay for it. They won’t give you your order until you pay for it, which solves that problem. I like Sheetz. 🙂 I ran into this at an Arby’s in Savanah GA back in '95/'96, thought it was pretty neat. I want to say that they had the “insert cash here” payment option also but that could be a mistaken memory ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/37 "2011-06-15T17:30:55Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Another “no” vote, because it’s bad enough having to wait for retarded people to retardedly give their orders orally, retardedly get their money together and pay (like it’s a major fucking surprise or something), and retardedly pull the fuck away from the window with their retarded order, much less wait for them to retardedly try to figure out the (seemingly incomprehensible, to a retard) technology of placing an order with a touch screen. And I’m not even counting the retards that work there. This is highly offensive to persons that are probably not capable of reading it. However there is a [PSA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T549VoLca_Q)out now referring to the “R” word. You really need to get out of the 1950’s, you ah… what letter of the alphabet isn’t taken? You inconsiderate neanderthal. (HA! “N” IS taken, so neanderthal is just fine.) As for the issue, I’ve thought about this for a long time as well. I don’t think it would ever work in anything but fast food (ok, technically it would work, but as others have pointed out, it would not bring them back to the restaruant). But for a McDonalds? I can see it working like this -\> At each sit-down table, in front of each seat built into the table would be a touch screen that a customer could place his food/drink order. Be given a receipt right at the table with his order number on it, and wait for his number to be called. There are so many ways to make this customer friendly and kid-proof, it’s not even worth discussing as possible problems. If it were my restaurant, I would also have maybe 2 people taking orders at a register, to keep the old folks, tech fearing people, and other mud people out of \*\*our \*\*way and into their own way. Any fast food restaurant that would eliminate my experience of being behind the family of 9, or the moe-ron that stares at a menu that hasn’t changed in 50 years going “ummmmm yeahhhhhhh” like Lumbergh from Office Space, will get my repeat business. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/38 "2011-06-15T19:02:29Z")
I remember about 5 to 10 years ago McDonalds briefly tried self ordering kiosks and they quickly disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/39 "2011-06-15T19:49:04Z")
When I order at most fast food restaurants, I specify exactly what I want. Slowly. I omit nothing. I always say whether it is for here or to go, and I always say at the end “That will be all today,” so there is no need to ask, “small or large?”, “fries with that?”, “what to drink?”, or “anything else?”. Yet I often get asked those anyway. So a person taking the order is something I would be glad to dispense with and things would be much smoother all around. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443/40 "2011-06-15T20:09:16Z")
I think it could work, especially if they scan your card first and then offer you choices you’ve made previously. People are creatures of habit. I could see checking out with 2 or 3 taps. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-ordering-at-restaurants-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/585443.md?page=3)