The role of technology in the future of restaurant labor

Abstract

Purpose This research aims to explore the role of technology in the future of restaurant labor. It focused on the opinions of restaurant employees, including managers, regarding technological trends such as service robots, self-service kiosks, robot chefs and automated cooking systems and how these may affect the future of restaurant labor. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach was adopted, and interviews were conducted with restaurant employees in the USA. Findings The findings uncovered that the benefits, impacts and shortcomings of technological trends in the restaurant industry differ depending on employees’ perspectives. Also, the findings of the shortcomings of each technological trend support the need for human labor as some aspects of technological trends cannot address the requirements of some tasks. Originality/value This research proposed a conceptual framework explaining the role of technological trends in the future of restaurant labor. It is one of the first studies to examine the role of technology in the future of hospitality labor, specifically restaurant labor, after the pandemic.