Restaurants Using Artificial Intelligence

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Collecting dirty dishes.

The local food court has a robot that goes around collecting used glasses and plates. How can a machine do that, it’s not a human being? It has no brain. Maybe I haven’t finished eating. I just moved away from the table for a minute, to get more water or napkins (serviettes).

I took a picture of the ‘bus boy’ because that is what human beings that pick up dirty dishes in restaurants, are called. Why bus, and not taxi? Bus boy. Where is the bus I wondered. Boy, I understand because a long time ago in England, only men and boys worked in taverns and pubs. Girls and women were cleaners in mansions and hospitals. How much is the food court paying this robot ‘bus boy’? I don’t think there’s an hourly rate though. It was a once-off transaction, buy the machine, get rid of human beings.

I was shocked when I first saw it. Nobody wants minimum wage jobs, but they still take them. There are many successful people in the world that started in the hospitality industry as bus boys and dishwashers then graduated to waiters and sous chefs. I usually go to the food court during the day, if I’m from the barbershop or bank. That is why I have a question. What happens during peak hours, when it’s game day or Friday night? Does the robot work? How does it move around many legs and bodies collecting dishes?

“Excuse me sir, can I take these plates?”

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Executive Blogger

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