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AutomatingWaitersintheRestaurantIndustry1.pptx

Automating Waiters in the Restaurant Industry

By: Ron Miller

The problem

Waiters are experiencing a shortage as it is an undesirable position were the hours can be difficult without guaranteed compensation.

Worker fatigue is common in this industry and it often leads to errors which then result in unsatisfied customers

Along with being difficult to find in todays world waiters are also costly for restaurants to employ as the average yearly compensation for a waiter in Washington D.C. is $23,896

IT Concept and Solution

Automated robotic waiters would help to solve all these problems in the restaurant industry.

It would help to cut costs, prevent fatigue and overall improve customer satisfaction in a very simple yet effective way

The IT aspect

Waiter robots have been in production for about 5 years now but have yet to be widely adopted

They can download the layout of the restaurant, so they are able traverse it safely

They can greet customers and take their orders through their mobile menu kiosk

Are also able to carry the ordered meals and drinks out to the tables

Have an upfront cost of $7,700 per unit and 100$ power and upkeep cost monthly

Costs of Human Waiters (staff of 5)

Yearly salary of fulltime workers- ($119,480)/23896$ per

Cost of uniforms for workers- ($100)/20$per

Cost of health insurance for workers- ($5655)

Total yearly cost- ($125,235)

Costs of Automated Waiter Robots (5)

Up front cost-($38,500)/7,700$per

Yearly operating and upkeep costs-($6,000)/1200$per

Total yearly costs-($44,500)/$8900per

Amount saved

The total amount a restraunt will save by replacing 5 waiters with robots is $80,735

Or $20,671 per worker

Payback time

The company will receive its money back on its investment in as little as 5 months as that is the amount of time it will take a traditional workers salary and costs to exceed the upfront costs of a robot.

Upfront costs may be significant, but this is an exceptional payback time.

Qualitative benefits

Robotic automation of waiters will help to combat worker fatigue as robots will not tire and can work 10 hours straight before needing to be recharged

The need for a tip is also removed so customers will be saving money on their purchase, likely helping to improve their satisfaction.

Lastly the chance of human error is also removed as the customers can now put their order directly into the robot through the kiosk built into it.

Questions?