Restaurateurs may also need to increase waitstaff wages, which can translate into higher costs for consumers. Kostroski expects some restaurateurs to tackle the labor problem by reducing staff hours and relying on automated systems. For example, some restaurants already use voice-mail systems to handle incoming calls rather than personally greeting callers. People will say it saves them a lot of labor costs. That's probably true, but it's short-minded.
Hospitality is all about personal interaction.
That's why he does not see robotic waiters taking a foothold anytime in the near future. I don't think restaurants will ever become automated machines. The Road Ahead . Even so, there's no question that advances in technology and other 21st-century changes will greatly impact restaurants. All rights reserved.