Applebee’s To Replace Waiters With Tablets, Destroying All Human Interaction

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BunnyHop

BunnyHop

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I NEVER go to Applebee's or Chili's Blaeech!!!

Think how many will lose jobs!!! :banghead:



Score one for the machines. On Tuesday, Applebee’s announced plans to install a tablet at every table in its 1,860 restaurants across the United States. Customers will be able to use the devices to order food, pay the bill, and ignore their dining companions by playing video games.

Chili’s unveiled basically the same plan three months ago. But that doesn’t mean Applebee’s hasn’t been plotting this move for years. In fact, Applebee’s was the name that came up when my former Slate colleague Annie Lowrey first wrote about the tablets-for-restaurants idea in April 2011.

http://healthydebates.com/applebees-going-replace-waiters-tablets/
 
Half the people I see eating at Applebee's are elderly individuals who've never operated anything higher tech than a TV remote. I wonder how they'll react. Is Applebee's not making a profit now? Guess it's Obamacare.

It sort of reminds me of when the drive-in restaurants replaced the carhops with intercoms. How long did they last after that?
 
The Applebee's in Springfield Oregon might as well make the change - everyone I know thinks the service there is terrible! They forgot about my family one time! We sat there like ding dongs for an hour. And they didn't even offer free dessert!

Overall though, I think this is a terrible idea for all the obvious reasons! :maddening:
 
I recently ate at Chili's because we had a gift certificate. They have the tablets, but they didn't replace the waiters.

I had an 11 and 14 year old with me and both wanted to play games which cost money. What was most annoying was the kids wanting to play games rather than interacting and having conversation. With so many kids being glued to their video games, ds's and other small hand held devices, I think this is a terrible idea. Not family friendly at all for parents who wish to keep their kids away from the electronics.

I don't see this being a positive for the company at all. It's like sticking a baby sitter at the table to keep kids occupied. I saw another mom with two younger kids, both playing games on the tablets while eating. Unless those parents who stick their children in front of electronics to keep them quiet choose to eat at Applebee's/Chili's.
 
Never liked chain restaurants of any kind, but I do understand that is all that some cities have.

I agree with others. Out to eat should be a special time with friends or family. Not sports bar loud and games making more noise or taking away attention. (Just like televisions in restaurants or stores, that should never happen either!)

The massive amounts of GERMS though, OMG! I would never want to touch any of that stuff. It is bad enough that you don't know when someone last washed their hands, or what unknown illness they may have, but now you add in touching their mouth while eating. Spitting from eating and talking, sneezing on devices, and, snotty hands touching all the buttons and screens. :sick: Not touching any of it. Nope. (I swear America is trying to kill off it's own citizens via spread of germs. Just like trying to force us to use re-usable shopping bags or pay per bag. Well, all will get re-usable, but how many will ever wash the germ filled bags? Then you put your food, clothes, and other items on the germy counter to be checked out. Scary!)

Then add in spills, angry person smashing the screen, you name it. Ugh.

Might as well make them drive thru's if you like their food.

I've always thought eating out should be a "together" time, not alone with yet another screen time.
 
I like Applebees and eat there every few months. The last time I was there the waitress was seemingly annoyed at having to actually wait on a table. We did not enjoy the service due to the fact it sucked. I would have been happy to order via a tablet. I would also love to see Texas roadhouse get tablets cause I get tired of all those loud *advertiser censored* cheers and dances by the wait staff when I'm trying to eat, sometimes its so loud you cannot hear your companions at your table talk..They will all still need someone to bring out the food and refill drinks. As far as germs, I'll bring some wipes to wipe the screen down first.
 
I've only been to Applebee's a couple of times when traveling and wasn't impressed with food or service. Used to like Chili's, but food and service declined, so we haven't been in several years.

I can't speak for others, but part of the pleasure of dining out is the interaction with wait staff. We have favorite waiters/waitresses at most of the restaurants that we frequent and request to be seated in their section. I can't imagine going to a restaurant that didn't have wait staff to suggest menu selections, ask me how I'm enjoying my meal, refill my water/coffee/wine, etc.

That said, some folks might like the idea of there not being wait staff because they won't be obligated to leave a tip. :moo:
 
No waiter, no tip?

Sounds good to me.
 
Lol, no waiter, no tip, get your own refills. Hmmm...Sounds like Taco Bell to me! :floorlaugh:

I can just imagine a family sitting down to order nachos, 1 order with 5 plates. However, the computer only shows 15 orders of nachos.
 
21merc7 said:
Never liked chain restaurants of any kind, but I do understand that is all that some cities have.

I agree with others. Out to eat should be a special time with friends or family. Not sports bar loud and games making more noise or taking away attention. (Just like televisions in restaurants or stores, that should never happen either!)

The massive amounts of GERMS though, OMG! I would never want to touch any of that stuff. It is bad enough that you don't know when someone last washed their hands, or what unknown illness they may have, but now you add in touching their mouth while eating. Spitting from eating and talking, sneezing on devices, and, snotty hands touching all the buttons and screens. :sick: Not touching any of it. Nope. (I swear America is trying to kill off it's own citizens via spread of germs. Just like trying to force us to use re-usable shopping bags or pay per bag. Well, all will get re-usable, but how many will ever wash the germ filled bags? Then you put your food, clothes, and other items on the germy counter to be checked out. Scary!)

Then add in spills, angry person smashing the screen, you name it. Ugh.

Might as well make them drive thru's if you like their food.

I've always thought eating out should be a "together" time, not alone with yet another screen time.
Click to expand...

Bwahahaha!!!! Are we long lost twins or something?? My crazy thoughts exactly!:floorlaugh:
 
Defeats the purpose of eating at a sit down restaurant. You eat there because of the service and waiter.
 
HMSHood said:
Defeats the purpose of eating at a sit down restaurant. You eat there because of the service and waiter.
Click to expand...

And how does the tablet know what diner ordered what food? Or alcoholic beverage? Doubt if it will last.IMO
 
I feel that Applebee's used to be good a few years ago.

Now it seems as if everything has been pre-cooked and just ready to be micro-waved.

My food's been cold in the middle of entrees a few times and so I've never been back.

moo
 
I wonder how the tip system would go with this...

Nah. Not for me.

Best-
Herding Cats
 
More people without jobs and our children's children will have no social skills.The self check out at the grocery is not a timesaver for me,it takes me twice as long.
 
Just because customers can ORDER food at the table with a tablet that doesn't mean there won't be waiters!

I doubt they will have robots or a shoot "deliver" food, condiments, drinks and such to each table. I am also sure it will be an "option" since there will be waiters running around bringing food and drinks and taking orders as well.

I can see for working folks the tablets might be nice, work people often know exactly what they want if they go their regularly and they will place their order asap the moment they sit down at the table. That increases speed of service times (I used to go there regularly with a small group from work and we all knew what we wanted, we would have liked getting our food faster by placing the order immediately).

In addition for germaphobes, use your own PEN to type in your order so you don't have to touch the keypad. Use hand sanitizer afterwards, you already have to touch the doors when you enter. Playing games while eating would be just plain nasty though, but to each their own.
 
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