Automatization is a growing trend at restaurants chains

As the labor shortage increases profits, restaurant chains are looking to automate. However, robots and other labor saving technology are still very expensive and it is not yet clear if automation will be a good investment for restaurant operators. Major chains are still testing these technologies. White Castle team member near Miso Robotics’ Flippy. Courtesy: Miso Robotics

Chipotle Mexican Grill Is testing whether a robot could make tortilla chips in stores. Sweetgreen There are plans to automate at least two locations for salad making. And Starbucks It wants to reduce the workload of baristas using its coffee-making equipment.

As operators struggled to solve a shrinking workforce, rising wages, this year saw a lot of automation announcements in restaurants. However, the results have not been great and experts predict that it will take years for robots to make a difference in the workplace.

“I think there’s a lot of experimentation that is going to lead us somewhere at some point, but we’re still a very labor intensive, labor-driven industry,” David Henkes, principal of Technomic, a restaurant research agency, said,

Even before the Covid pandemicRestaurants were having difficulty retaining and attracting workers. As many workers who were laid off left for other work and didn’t return, the global health crisis only exacerbated this problem. According to the National Restaurant Association (NRA), three-quarters are struggling with staff shortages that prevents them from operating at maximum capacity.

Restaurant owners increased wages to attract workers. However, this impacted profits at a moment when food prices were rising.

Automated startup pitch themselves as a solution. They claim that robots are able to flip burgers and assemble pie more consistently.

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