As far back as 2016, I wrote that many restaurants, especially fast food, would replace wait staff with self service kiosks and app-based ordering as a way to save on labor costs. And they have and post-pandemic, self service may become standard:

Ordering a meal at Steak ‘n Shake is about to look a little different. The popular Steakburger and shake eatery is ditching its table service and transitioning to self-serve kiosks.

Source: Steak ‘n Shake replaces table service with self-serve kiosks | NewsNation Now

Minimum wage laws drive labor costs ever higher – just as the costs of automation have plummeted. The result is a reduction in jobs inside these restaurants, and replacing them with customer self service.

Coldstreams