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Deborah Shaw
CST 300 Writing Lab
10 October 2023
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Restaurant Industry

AI has become a ubiquitous presence across diverse industries, revolutionizing

the way businesses operate. In the restaurant sector, AI stands as a powerful ally,

particularly in enhancing operational efficiency. Notably, AI excels at ensuring precise

order accuracy and expediting service, two crucial facets of the restaurant experience.

Leveraging historical data, AI systems can judiciously predict ingredient replenishment

needs, optimizing inventory management. AI has significantly improved the efficiency

and accuracy of taking drive-through orders in fast-food restaurants. By utilizing AI-

powered systems, orders are processed quickly and accurately, reducing human errors,

and minimizing wait times for customers. Beyond streamlining operations, AI extends its

influence on customer engagement by offering personalized menu recommendations,

enhancing the overall dining experience, and illustrating the transformative potential of

artificial intelligence in the restaurant industry.

Issue

AI has been leveraged by fast-food giants such as McDonald's, Taco Bell,

Chipotle, Popeye's, and Domino's to enhance their business processes. Notably,

Google Cloud's AI technology has been deployed to engage with customers and

efficiently process their orders, making a significant shift in the industry. (Murphy, 2023).

AI has undoubtedly proven itself in streamlining the process of taking orders in fast food

drive-through orders. Its precision and speed have brought significant improvements to
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the customer experience. AI-driven systems accurately capture orders, efficiently relay

them to the kitchen, and provide seamless interactions. This not only reduces order

inaccuracies but also minimizes wait times for customers. While AI's capabilities in

streamlining tasks and improving customer service are undeniable, concerns about its

potential impact on human employees. As AI continues to advance, there is a growing

chance that it may gradually assume roles traditionally held by human employees,

potentially leading to workforce reductions within the next five years. The evolving

innovation of AI in the fast-food industry underscores both its transformative potential

and the need to navigate its implications for the labor market. (Raasch, 2023).

Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder 1: Restaurant Owners

Values. Restaurant owners recognize the benefit of using AI to enhance their

business operations and elevate the customer experience. They acknowledge the value

AI can bring to their business, making processes more efficient and interactions more

delightful for diners.

Positions. Restaurant owners should leverage every available resource to

enhance their business, and among these resources, AI stands out as one of the most

powerful tools. AI is a particularly appealing option because of its capacity to optimize

multiple aspects of restaurant management, from customer service to inventory control.

Adopting AI can surely enhance consumer happiness and business performance.

Claims. AI is now a widespread technology offering applications in a wide range

of fields, not only the restaurant business. Adopting AI isn't just a choice for restaurant
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owners, they need to stay competitive in the market. The utilization of AI in the

restaurant industry is undeniably a growing trend. AI is now an essential tool for modern

restaurateurs because its use frequently results in fewer customer complaints and

better service. (Guszkowski, 2023).

Outcome. Restaurant owners may provide excellent service by utilizing AI to

improve customer experience. One of the examples is using AI to create personalized

ads that take account of the individual interests and behaviors of each customer. This

focused strategy encourages customer engagement and loyalty while also improving

the dining experience. Restaurants may use AI to better understand their customers and

provide more individualized promotional content, which will ultimately lead to growth and

consumer happiness. (Graves, n.d.). With AI in place, it is no longer necessary to hire

human employees as many as before, which reduces the cost of salaries, benefits, and

paid time off to employees. Customers' eating experiences have been considerably

improved by the addition of mobile phone ordering. Customers now experience quicker

food service because of the convenience of placing orders through their mobile phones.

Additionally, AI's support in managing the workload prevents human employees from

working overtime. At the same time, this lowers the cost of paying overtime to human

employees. The ultimate goal of this improved operating model is to increase restaurant

owners' profits. (Hamel, 2022).

Stakeholder 2: Human Employee

Values. Human employees should continue to have opportunities for

employment so they may support their families and continue to make a living. Although

AI plays an essential role in increasing performance in the restaurant industry, it cannot

completely replace human employees. To maintain the key responsibilities that human

employees play in delivering a specialized and warm dining experience, it is important

to strike a balance between adopting AI for its efficiency benefits while keeping intact

the human workforce.

Positions. Humans have a basic desire to work, whereas AI doesn't have this

need by nature. The industry should look for methods to adjust to advances in

technology and find solutions that benefit both human employees and AI in the

workplace rather than pushing for the elimination of human employment.

Claims. AI lacks an in-depth understanding of human language and emotions,

which prevents it from fully replicating human talents. Because AI relies on

predetermined algorithms and data, it might be able to assist clients without fully

understanding their complex requirements. Although AI is excellent in many areas, it

can occasionally fall short in providing customers with a truly personalized and

understanding experience. Humans are essential in giving individualized and

compassionate service to one another because of their special qualities. AI should be

considered a valuable tool to enhance human capabilities, rather than a substitute for

human jobs. (Why artificial intelligence won’t replace human talent any time soon,

2023).

Outcome. Human employment must be maintained, and AI can continue to

support humans in performing activities without completely replacing them. By

automating these labor-intensive processes, AI can substantially reduce stress levels

among human employees, enabling them to concentrate on tasks that require empathy,

creativity, and a personal touch, which are qualities that are invaluable in the restaurant
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industry. This cooperation is all about working together, with AI as the supporting

backbone, helping to create a well-coordinated, efficient workforce that's dedicated to

providing customers with an exceptional dining experience. To maximize productivity

while keeping job opportunities, a balance between human skills and AI support must be

maintained. Human abilities should be enhanced by AI, providing a productive

workplace. (Lamb, 2023).

Argument Question

Should the restaurant industry integrate Artificial Intelligence and reduce the

hiring of human employees?

Arguments

Stakeholder 1: Restaurant Owners

Kantian ethics is a moral philosophy that applies to all people, regardless of their

circumstances. It is based on the concept that morality is founded on rationality and an

individual's inherent worth. (Vaidya, n.d.). The application of AI in the restaurant sector

is consistent with these ideas. AI can reduce costs for restaurant owners dramatically,

improve accuracy, and increase customer satisfaction overall. Customers and restaurant

owners both express high levels of satisfaction because of the industry's wide adoption

of AI. This acceptance of AI reflects the recognition that its benefits outweigh any

worries about prospective job losses for human employees. The ultimate benefit is

proving to be logical and advantageous for all parties. This hypothetical situation

highlights the heart of Kant's ethical philosophy by highlighting the significance of

logical, encompassing rules.

Stakeholder 2: Human Employee

Ethical egoism is the belief that someone getting his or her own interests is the

right thing to do. One should not be responsible for another’s interests. (Westacott,

2019). In this context, employees struggle to maintain their employment in the

restaurant sector while fighting against the adoption of AI. Their approach is based on

the belief that excellent customer service cannot be provided without human interaction.

They argue that people surpass machines in their special capacity to understand and

react to the many complexities of human behavior, including emotions and context.

Humans offer adaptability, an in-depth understanding of language, and a thorough

understanding of human behavior, in contrast to robots, which function using pre-

programmed algorithms. Thus, human employees emphasize the significance of

preserving job opportunities, ensuring income for their families, and highlighting a

dimension of livelihood that machines cannot replicate. From an ethical perspective,

their emphasis on personal gain and the welfare of human employees, despite the

potential broader advantages of AI implementation, aligns with the framework of ethical

egoism.

Student Position

Without a doubt, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of modern

life and is essential to many aspects of it. Incorporating AI into our daily lives is

essential. Nearly every industry is impacted by its prevalent effect, including the

restaurant sector. While it's true that the implementation of AI in restaurants may, in the

short term, result in some people losing their employment, this should be seen as only

the transitional period. Restaurant owners may now optimize their operations and
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improve customer experience with the help of AI, which certainly has changed this

industry. Restaurant owners now have the tools they need to be competitive and

respond to the changes in customer expectations in the ever-evolving digital market due

to the incorporation of AI-driven technologies. In the overall context of things, the

benefits of using AI are extensive and apply to every person. The increased productivity,

ease of use, and efficiency that AI brings to the table have the potential to revolutionize

our way of life and promote a wealthier and more connected society where everyone

can benefit from AI. (Shaw, 2023).

Conclusion

The widespread adoption of AI is transforming our society, enhancing ease, and

improving business processes in a variety of fields. Additionally, it has proven to be a

strong accelerator for increasing restaurant industry profits, benefiting both the

restaurant owner and the customer experience. Today, it's becoming harder to find

industries that haven't been significantly impacted by AI. It has been shown that AI is the

future, and we can not live without AI.

References

Graves, A. (n.d.). AI for Restaurants: Accelerate marketing and improve guest

experience. BloomIntelligence. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from

https://bloomintelligence.com/blog/artificial-intelligence-restaurant-industry/

Guszkowski, J. (2023, August 31). How big restaurant chains are using artificial

intelligence. RestaurantBusiness. Retrieved from

https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/how-big-restaurant-chains-

are-using-artificial-intelligence

Hamel, A. (2022, August 31). The impact on the industry: Artificial intelligence in

restaurants. Incentivio. Retrieved from https://www.incentivio.com/blog-news-

restaurant-industry/the-impact-on-the-industry-artificial-intelligence-in-restaurants

Lamb, A. (2023, July 18). 5 Effective strategies to incorporate AI without losing the

human touch in your restaurant. Turningthetablepodcast. Retrieved from

https://www.turningthetablepodcast.com/blog/5-effective-strategies-to-

incorporate-ai-without-losing-the-human-touch-in-your-restaurant/

Murphy, A. (2023, May 9). Wendy's adding Google Cloud AI tech to drive-thru ordering

as part of test. FOXBUSINESS. Retrieved from

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/wendys-adding-google-cloud-ai-tech-drive-

thru-ordering-part-test

Raasch, J. M. (2023, May 30). Millions of fast food workers could lose their jobs within 5

years. Here's why. FOXNEWS. Retrieved from

https://www.foxnews.com/tech/millions-fast-food-workers-lose-jobs-5-years
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Shaw, F. L. (2023, June 23). 6 ways artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the restaurant

industry. RestaurantTechnologyNews. Retrieved from

https://restauranttechnologynews.com/2023/06/6-ways-artificial-intelligence-is-

revolutionizing-the-restaurant-industry/

Vaidya, D. (n.d.). What is Kantian Ethics theory? WallStreetMojo. Retrieved October 11,

2023, from https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/kantian-ethics/

Westacott, E. (2019, October 12). What is Ethical Egoism? ThoughtCo. Retrieved from

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-ethical-egoism-3573630

Why artificial intelligence won’t replace human talent any time soon? (2023, January

25). Randstad. Retrieved from https://www.randstadusa.com/business/business-

insights/future-workplace-trends/why-artificial-intelligence-wont-replace-human/