> Ordering food via telephone is, to me, the equivalent of trying to use a command line interface without knowing any of the options, and instead of "help" being automated, you have to bother a person who is probably already extremely busy and overworked to clarify the menu. It's also much easier to pay with a credit card via an app or website than over the phone.
I've never heard of this perspective used to describe what takes place when ordering food, you're clearly trying to equate it to a non GUI way of trying to navigate the process as you would when on a computer. Interesting perspective, its seems you think there is some underlying 'protocol' called conversation that you simply don't grasp, or are unaware of, right?
More points to follow below.
> I don't want to 'hide', but my social anxiety makes phone conversations with people I don't know a harrowing experience...
See, this I clearly understand despite personally having had to essentially speak at conferences for a living at one point; as I think people with a clear medical condition need to be accommodated in these situations, but just know that the FOH people taking your order are more likely to be receptive to your order than not because it ensures they A: get to have a job, and B: ultimately rely on satisfying you and providing a good UX in order to get a tip in exchange for said transaction, which is the majority of their overall wages.
Now, the Industry is filled with examples of feckless and quite frankly discontent people so it doesn't always show. But just understand FOH are there to serve you, its called hospitality for a reason and the relationship needs to be approached as such (within reason). Whereas BOH (chefs/cooks) is entirely different domain, which is what I did in that Industry, and requires more nuanced ways of communicating that I won't get into.
As for the payment processing, believe me I did fintech and on the back end its only really beneficial for the end consumer, with several hidden externalizes, as its hardly 'easy' for the business owner and the staff. But credit cards are just a paradigm so ingrained into the collective psyche that it will never go away, what's even more notable is that it was the Diner's Club model in restaurants that made Credit Card usage ubiquitous in the US in the first place.
But, again I totally understand this perspective when described in this way and totally understand why an app or a online order system is preferable.