Pros and Cons of Having an Automated Restaurant

We all know that restaurants are becoming more and more automated every day. With automation, we have so many advantages but some disadvantages as well. We can have identical dishes but without the extra personalization that only a human can offer. We can have less overwhelmed employees but fewer job opportunities for employees as a whole. If you’re thinking about moving in the direction of having more automation integrated into your kitchen or restaurant environment, consider reading this list of the pros and cons that decision has to offer.

Pro: Increases Reliability

You can have a few extremely reliable employees, but there’s nothing that compares to the reliability of a finely-coded machine. Humans can make mistakes, especially under the extreme pressures that can easily pop up in the restaurant industry. Machines can cut the number of those mistakes in half, if not more.

Con: Less Personal Connection

There’s no denying that machines can’t replace human connection. There’s nothing like having a server or a chef that adds the best customer service that you could ask for. Machines can have AI that will undoubtedly provide unique dining, serving, and/or cooking experiences. But, machines lack the personal connection that only humans can provide.

Pro: Saves Money

Employees are expensive. Even to pay someone part-time minimum wage, those costs add up. Fewer employees can lead to more money in your hands as the restaurant owner. Sure, automation requires electricity so you can expect your hydro bill to increase. You’ll know whether that decrease in employee pay is worth the increase in electricity costs.

Con: Expensive Machines

Even though you can save money over the long term, automated machines aren’t cheap upfront. Often costing thousands of dollars, that’s a lot of money that small businesses may not have without saving for a while. If you have the money for an automated machine, is that where you need the money to go? Or are there other things to prioritize before investing in a piece of new equipment?

You can find the light in any situation with an automated machine, but you can also find the faults in it. Each restaurant would function differently with more automation. It’s up to you to decide whether that’s something you’d be interested in seeking out.