Restaurant chains experimented with automation this year as the labor crunch pressured their profits.[[ Getty Images
Why restaurant chains are investing in robots and what it means for workers
And on an earnings call this summer, McDonald CEO Chris Kempczinski threw cold water on the feasibility of total automation.
“The idea of robots and all those things, while it maybe is great for garnering headlines, it’s not practical in the vast majority of restaurants,” he said. “The economics don’t pencil out. … You’re not going to see that as a broad-based solution anytime soon.”
In the meantime, automation may have more potential in less noticeable tasks. Jamie Richardson, vice president of White Castle, said less flashy changes like installing Coca-Cola Freestyle machines have had a more outsized impact on sales.
“Sometimes the bigger automation investments we make aren’t as earth shattering,” Richardson said.
