Replace Waiters with QR Codes | Hacker News Reader

Replace Waiters with QR Codes

philosophersbeard.org

2 pointsimartin2k13 comments

I think you miss the point of the waiter. Their job is to upsell and that’s where they provide more than their 5$ an hour of value that the restaurant pays them. They push wine, chef specials, food that’s going bad or overstocked, or meals made out of leftovers that people wouldn’t normally choose. If you replace them with QR codes it’s gonna cost you a lot of money in unrealized profit and wasted ingredient

I think you are right, and to date, QR codes have been underutilized. 9/10 times when I scan a QR code it takes me to a static menu page or worse, a PDF. But if the QR code led to a dynamic page, then many of these upsell opportunities could be presented there. I have seen (an been upsold by) these offers on Ziosk tablets on the table (I believe at Applebees). Once someone has scanned the QR code, you can detect if they are a repeat visitor, and get them to register to earn rewards, store preferences, etc. When they order on the phone, you can suggest wine pairings, specials, etc. The benefit here is that the app never forgets to push the specials, whereas waiters often do. And you could adjust the specials in real time. I have had waiters push the special, and I order it, only to find out they just sold the last one.

The upsell is more obvious on the app so more likely to get rejected. Not sure how the actual numbers pan out though.

I’ve noticed that multiple times now my wife has wanted some wine or beer but ended up not buying any because QR codes or missing wait staff.

I think a good middle ground is to allow people to request a waiter if desired, or order directly using a device. At a nice restaurant, I may want to ask the waiter for a recommendation or I may want to explain food allergies (assuming I can't do this in the app). But at Chili's or IHOP, I know exactly what I want, I can request no waiter, order through my phone and pay through my phone. Of course someone will still have to deliver the food and refill drinks, and address any issues, but maybe you can flag someone down (some Korean BBQ places have a button on the table that flags a server), but you could cut down on the number of times a waiter needs to come to the table (get drink order, get food order, bring check, bring signature receipt)

How about we replace these shitty, indecent, saddening middle-low tier restaurants with canteens? I go to a restaurant to feel served and cared after, if you can't provide that feeling of welcomeness you should downgrade all the way and just become an automated buffet with pastic chairs and plastic dishes so people can have a warm meal for pennies and do everything by themselves.

QR code menu, order, pay might be fine for McDonald's but at any nice place it is a terrible experience that sours the whole thing.

Reading a menu with your phone is terrible, there is no way to ask about specials, to hold items you are allergic to to get a recommendation.

It makes a nice place look cheap and in return I never leave a tip.

Isn’t that good for your wallet? 20 % saved (if you are in the US)

I would frankly gladly pay 20% more or more than that to have a printed menu that I can see rather than endlessly swipe my phone.

What's next I bus and cook? I might saw well eat in.

I spent 200 bucks at a place over the holidays that thought this was somehow a great experience.

If I wanted to save 40 bucks I could have saved much more than that by ordering takeout.

If we assume 3 tiers of restaurant, with McDonalds at the cheap end, places like Chili's and TGI Friday's in the middle, and fine dining like steakhouses at the top, this change is aimed at the middle tier. In the US the trend has been that this middle tier is in decline, while a new middle tier has emerged , with places like Chipotle or Panera. These compete with sit down restaurants like El Torito with food that is comparable, but prices slightly lower and service that is faster. The main difference is that they eliminate hosts and servers by making you order at a counter and pick up your food when ready (some give you a number flag and bring it to the table). Places like Chili's and Olive Garden already have a tablet at the table where you can order additional food and drinks, and swipe your card right at the table. They are already socializing the concept of tableside ordering...it won't be long before customers can seat themselves (e.g. pick any table where the tablet is blinking green), order right from the tablet, request anything they need during the meal using the tablet, and pay on the tablet. Of course there is still a "call server" button.

And how does the QR code get my food from the kitchen to my table?

How does the QR code handle a request like "do you have a baby-seat for our 2 year old?", and subsequently point me towards where said baby seat can be found and offer a solution how it gets to my table?

How does the QR code resolve the situation that another set of customers already uses said baby seat?

How does the QR code resolve the situation that we are 12 people, we all want to sit next to each other in the non-smoking area, but there are only 2 tables there each sitting 5 people?

How do I explain to the QR code that there must have been a mixup in the kitchen and what was delivered to me was not what I ordered?

How does the QR code deal with unruly customers who harass other guests?

How does the QR code deal with a requirement like checking vaccination certificates, which was implemented by law on short notice and not part of the systems original spec?

There will be people to deliver the food...in some restaurants this is already the case that the waiter who takes the order is not the same one who delivers the food. Most of your other objections are host/hostess responsibilities, not waiter/waitress. The only one that a waiter would handle is the food mixup and you would just flag someone down

My point still stands:

Transmission of predetermined information is a fully understood problem, and easy to automate.

Physical interaction with unexpected variables in changing environments, is not.

Panera has qr codes and there are no runners at least at the one near me. They have a buzzer and you do the running and bussing yourself. It is basically devolved into sandwich McDonalds

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