Monday, October 18, 2010

Will Miss #244 - automated ordering

A few buttons on a huge automated ordering machine. These are for curry and curry toppings.

Japan has long been famous for its technological innovations. Some day, I'm sure that they will be able to do away with people altogether in the service industry. Given that the birthrate is a bit under 1.4, they'll probably need to do this. For now though, they do the best they can to put technology into the mix and that includes these machines that are used to streamline the ordering process at some restaurants. Instead of troubling yourself with paying a cashier, you buy a ticket from a machine outside first, give the ticket to the person in the shop (not yet a robot, but soon, I'm sure), and they serve you the grub you want without any dirty money exchanging hands.

I'm sure these types of machines are in some other places in the world, but the dazzling array of buttons on the Japanese ones and the fact that they are common occurrences always impresses me, and I'll miss seeing them.