3 ms·

The problem with this is, if the barista gets automated, the customers buy better coffee machines and stop going to the cafe. An exaggeration, but you see my p

The problem with this is, if the barista gets automated, the customers buy better coffee machines and stop going to the cafe. An exaggeration, but you see my point perhaps. Unless your service is really purely about bang for buck, trying to automate it in ways that are visible to the customer can have downsides. McDonald’s could probably go full robotic. Starbucks? Not sure, maybe. It would be a little offputting. Your local (good) pizza place? Not likely.

prepend 5y ago
This is not my experience. Watching Starbucks and my other local coffee places implement app/cashier less ordering it seems like more customers and more purchases. Ordering on my phone while I’m the way is easier than talking with a human. And easier to add stuff on. I’ve never considered buying an espresso machine and bypassing my local coffee place. Similarly, I wish all fast food went cashierless. The cashier is the slowest and most error prone part of the process.
- cableshaft 5y ago
  I had a daily Starbucks habit before the pandemic. During the pandemic I just made pourover coffee at home with some half & half, and even now, eighteen months later and I'm doing more out in the world again, I only get Starbucks about once or twice a month. It's not like it's hard to make okay coffee, it was mainly part of me being out and about.
  - prepend 5y ago
    So you replacing Starbucks had nothing to do with them automating their cashiers. Rationally, we should all make coffee at home rather than spend $2-7 per day on coffee. My point was that Starbucks can help with their labor shortage by eliminating cashiers and just having a kiosk or app.
- rjsw 5y ago
  > Similarly, I wish all fast food went cashierless. Seems to work fine for McDonald's.
throwaway675309 5y ago
I don't see your point at all - most people that I know including myself who go to a coffee shop go to be able to sit down and relax for a few hours and enjoy the atmosphere/ambience provided by the physical environment and other customers in proximity.
codegeek 5y ago
Depends. I don't go to a coffee place to hang out with the Barista. I go to hang out. may be with friends/family. I couldn't care who made my coffee and how as long as it is good. I love automation as much as possible.

prepend 5y ago

This is not my experience. Watching Starbucks and my other local coffee places implement app/cashier less ordering it seems like more customers and more purchases. Ordering on my phone while I’m the way is easier than talking with a human. And easier to add stuff on. I’ve never considered buying an espresso machine and bypassing my local coffee place. Similarly, I wish all fast food went cashierless. The cashier is the slowest and most error prone part of the process.

cableshaft 5y ago
I had a daily Starbucks habit before the pandemic. During the pandemic I just made pourover coffee at home with some half & half, and even now, eighteen months later and I'm doing more out in the world again, I only get Starbucks about once or twice a month. It's not like it's hard to make okay coffee, it was mainly part of me being out and about.
- prepend 5y ago
  So you replacing Starbucks had nothing to do with them automating their cashiers. Rationally, we should all make coffee at home rather than spend $2-7 per day on coffee. My point was that Starbucks can help with their labor shortage by eliminating cashiers and just having a kiosk or app.
rjsw 5y ago
> Similarly, I wish all fast food went cashierless. Seems to work fine for McDonald's.

throwaway675309 5y ago

I don't see your point at all - most people that I know including myself who go to a coffee shop go to be able to sit down and relax for a few hours and enjoy the atmosphere/ambience provided by the physical environment and other customers in proximity.

codegeek 5y ago

Depends. I don't go to a coffee place to hang out with the Barista. I go to hang out. may be with friends/family. I couldn't care who made my coffee and how as long as it is good. I love automation as much as possible.