ALEXA, I’D LIKE FRIES WITH THAT: Shake Shack Replaces Humans With Robots.. “Fast-food chain was once hailed by President Obama for paying high entry-level wages.”
A forthcoming Shake Shack location in New York City—where the Obamas are looking to live in retirement—plans to open with a workforce of robots rather than human employees, according to the New York Post. A restaurant set to open in the East Village will be staffed with robot ordering kiosks, which do not accept cash. Diners will place orders on apps and receive alerts via text message with a few “hospitality champs” on site to address potential tech glitches in the new machinery.
“The Astor Place Shack will be a playground where we can test and learn the ever-shifting needs of our guests,” Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti told the New York Post. “[It] represents our dedication to innovation and to providing the best for our guests and for our teams.”
The restaurant plans to ramp up wages for those employees lucky enough to find work at the mechanized restaurant. Garutti said starting wages will be $15 an hour—more than double the federal minimum and the rate endorsed by political giant Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the 2016 Democratic Party Platform. Labor watchdogs said the higher wages do not make up for the lost opportunities for entry-level workers.
You don’t say.