42 years old living with Mom and somehow the fact that they won't make him a burger flipper means that the restaurant needs to be burned down. I'm in my 60s, and I can tell you that the only times I've EVER been out of work was when I wanted to be. It pains me to see that there is a generation (or more) who think that society owes them a living with minimal effort on their part, and they're angry and astonished to see that their menial job ambitions are supplanted by a machine. If the thing works, justice would be served if the only job for one of them would be $20 for one hour of taking out the trash for the machines.

When I put the comment in above I assumed that the automation company was either from Taiwan, China or Japan, since that is where most of the robotic companies are based. A little research and it turns this company is based in San Francisco. It is an amusing thought that fast food could be the thing that boosts the economy.

I agree. What will it be like in this country after the retail jobs are gone? Today 93 million out of the workforce, tomorrow 193 million. Scary thought what this country will look like with virtually no-one working, all living off the government dole. :(

Definitely. I've already paid with those little kiosks in Red Robin and in Applebees. You can also order your food and drinks and desserts. Ultimately, even in the restaurants a little more upscale than mcdonald's (like these chains - Applebees, TGIF, etc.), they will only need a person to bring the food to your table.

I would agree on all the skills. One kind of ironic thing is that when we lived in central Wisconsin my wife worked for the guy who was my instructor back in Elk Grove. He was an excellent owner, he treated people well, but kept expectations very high.

Many fast food chains will not hire until 18 now. This removes the experience for the High School age worker, and makes it more difficult to get a Job as a high school student.

The robot is to replace the person who thinks McD's is a career job, not a place to get a start. It is too bad it will do both because minimum wage is all ready pricing High School kids out.

Awwww. You're so sweet. (Imagery came across just fine.)

Jan

Yes indeed! Hard to spot the ones who are real:-) Did you see a movie called Ex Machina?

Ah, the mindlessness is already installed, but the cost/hour is still exorbitant.

and my Gerber machete scabbard is nylon. -- j
.

There is an aspect not often mentioned, how many teens actually did have someone who influenced them early on in such a job. I had a couple from 12 on, I worked in a bakery from 12-15 (because no one else could hire due to "age") and the little guy running it paid me 1.75 an hour (1971-3), but he worked from 4am-6pm and expected you to as well. He did instill a good work ethic.

I have a technical background, and in the time it took me to read your comment, I'd already mentally designed a system that would allow the truck to deliver the package to the McDonald's robot in a way that it could go straight into the system without a human. Its super simple really. If the packages are in the truck in delivery order, then the next package in the truck is for this location. A door opens, and the same type of arm that picks up my garbage cans picks the package and places it on the receiving station of the facility. A safety door closes, then the building door opens and the package is conveyed inside. The package is a canister that is designed to feed the machines directly. An empty package gets sent out to the truck, which will load it into the truck for return delivery to the facility that loads the food in the containers. Easy peazy. No reason this couldn't be refrigerated delivery. No reason McDs couldn't have their own fleet of robot trucks to make all the deliveries to the stores from the distribution point like they do now.

And they wonder why robots are preferred employees??? Holy moley.
Next thing will be some gov entity saying the robots are a hazard, or pass a law that each robot needs to have a human wet nurse.