Building robot McDonald's staff 'cheaper' than hiring workers on minimum wage

[jimnyc]

I SO cannot wait for these to hit the McDonald's locations where those folks walked off work to protest and demand a double increase in their wages. I want to see these robots waving goodbye to them as they go find someone else to employ them that will be willing to accept their demands. Personally, I would rather deal with a robot anyway. They won't get my order wrong either.

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A former McDonald's CEO warned that robots will take over staff jobs at the fast food empire - because it's cheaper than employing humans.

Ed Rensi has said that buying highly skilled robotics is a cheaper alternative than employing people on minimum wage to work in the company's worldwide restaurants.

He warned that huge job losses are imminent, and commented that it would be 'common sense' to replace humans in the workplace.

This comes as a study into the future of human employment has predicted a surge in machine-led work such as robotic counsellors, body part makers and virtual lawyers.

The worrying research, by professor of management practice at London Business School, Lynda Gratton, and futurologist David A. Smith, suggests that humans will be replaced because robots are able to produce better results.

Prof Gratton said: "Studies have suggested that a third of jobs in Europe will be replaced by technology over the next two decades."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-n...heaper-8044106

[Gunny]

I SO cannot wait for these to hit the McDonald's locations where those folks walked off work to protest and demand a double increase in their wages. I want to see these robots waving goodbye to them as they go find someone else to employ them that will be willing to accept their demands. Personally, I would rather deal with a robot anyway. They won't get my order wrong either.

-----

A former McDonald's CEO warned that robots will take over staff jobs at the fast food empire - because it's cheaper than employing humans.

Ed Rensi has said that buying highly skilled robotics is a cheaper alternative than employing people on minimum wage to work in the company's worldwide restaurants.

He warned that huge job losses are imminent, and commented that it would be 'common sense' to replace humans in the workplace.

This comes as a study into the future of human employment has predicted a surge in machine-led work such as robotic counsellors, body part makers and virtual lawyers.

The worrying research, by professor of management practice at London Business School, Lynda Gratton, and futurologist David A. Smith, suggests that humans will be replaced because robots are able to produce better results.

Prof Gratton said: "Studies have suggested that a third of jobs in Europe will be replaced by technology over the next two decades."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-n...heaper-8044106

I hate McDonald's. If there isn't one in San Antonio or Del Rio ore Pearsal or anywher else in S TX I haven't worked on, I don't know where it is. They are ruthless. We had to work 10 hour days 6 days a week on those damned places. They are salve drivers.

At the same time, theses idiots thinking they deserve double wages for flipping a burger just flat tick me off.

[Little-Acorn]

Nice work, liberals!

With your continued demands for higher and higher Minimun Wages for the least-skilled workers, you have managed to price a large segment of your base right out of the labor market.

Business that keep paying humans higher wages will start losing businesses to businesses that pay less for robots, and so can charge lower prices for their products.

Will the former min-wage workers (soon unemployed) show you the "appreciation" you deserve for doing this?

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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-n...heaper-8044106

Building robot McDonald's staff 'cheaper' than hiring workers on minimum wage

By Jessica Haworth
10:18, 25 May 2016
Updated 17:32, 25 May 2016

The worrying forecast could threaten jobs at the fast food franchise, a former CEO of the company warns

A former McDonald's CEO warned that robots will take over staff jobs at the fast food empire - because it's cheaper than employing humans.

Ed Rensi has said that buying highly skilled robotics is a cheaper alternative than employing people on minimum wage to work in the company's worldwide restaurants.

He warned that huge job losses are imminent, and commented that it would be 'common sense' to replace humans in the workplace.

This comes as a study into the future of human employment has predicted a surge in machine-led work such as robotic counsellors, body part makers and virtual lawyers.

The worrying research, by professor of management practice at London Business School, Lynda Gratton, and futurologist David A. Smith, suggests that humans will be replaced because robots are able to produce better results.

Prof Gratton said: "Studies have suggested that a third of jobs in Europe will be replaced by technology over the next two decades."

If the recent comments are to be believed, McDonald's staff could face the same fate.

Former CEO Ed Rensi said: "I was at the National Restaurant Show yesterday and if you look at the robotic devices that are coming into the restaurant industry.

"It’s cheaper to buy a $35,000 (£24,000) robotic arm than it is to hire an employee who’s inefficient making $15 (£10.20) an hour bagging French fries. It's nonsense and it’s very destructive and it’s inflationary and it’s going to cause a job loss across this country like you’re not going to believe."

He told FOX: "It’s not just going to be in the fast food business. Franchising is the best business model in the United States. It’s dependent on people that have low job skills that have to grow. Well if you can’t get people a reasonable wage, you’re going to get machines to do the work. It’s just common sense. It’s going to happen whether you like it or not. And the more you push this it’s going to happen faster."

[Noir]

Robots/self-service is always going to be cheaper than a human equivalent, regardless of an employees desire for a decent wage.

[Kathianne]

Robots/self-service is always going to be cheaper than a human equivalent, regardless of an employees desire for a decent wage.

What was 'not cost efficient' at one price point, becomes so when you double the wage. Simple.

[Noir]

What was 'not cost efficient' at one price point, becomes so when you double the wage. Simple.

And as technology develops and advances costs come wayyy down. If it was a case of '$15 per hour human is just cheaper than a robot' then in 5 years time to robot would be much cheaper than the human.

Robots will ill always be more cost effective, no breaks, never late, no holiday pay, no family emergencies and so on. If the only downside is the cost of the technology - then zip forward 2/3 years and that's not a problem, regardless of whether or not the human can feed themselves on the wage they're earning.

[fj1200]

And as technology develops and advances costs come wayyy down. If it was a case of '$15 per hour human is just cheaper than a robot' then in 5 years time to robot would be much cheaper than the human.

Robots will ill always be more cost effective, no breaks, never late, no holiday pay, no family emergencies and so on. If the only downside is the cost of the technology - then zip forward 2/3 years and that's not a problem, regardless of whether or not the human can feed themselves on the wage they're earning.

Robots are not always more cost effective. It depends on the cost of labor (human burger flippers) vs. the cost of capital (robot burger flippers). Government is in the middle, as Kathianne points out, in upsetting the market clearing price of labor which means fewer workers at higher wages.

[Noir]

Robots are not always more cost effective. It depends on the cost of labor (human burger flippers) vs. the cost of capital (robot burger flippers). Government is in the middle, as Kathianne points out, in upsetting the market clearing price of labor which means fewer workers at higher wages.

if the only detractor for the robots is their price, then it doesn't matter what wages are being paid, that robot price will be ticking down constantly until it overtakes and starts lapping the human labour cost. The human workers could of course start taking pay cuts to try and keep up with the ever falling price of the robot replacements, but that can only go
so far, and the robots will keep getting cheaper.

[fj1200]

if the only detractor for the robots is their price, then it doesn't matter what wages are being paid, that robot price will be ticking down constantly until it overtakes and starts lapping the human labour cost. The human workers could of course start taking pay cuts to try and keep up with the ever falling price of the robot replacements, but that can only go
so far, and the robots will keep getting cheaper.

Maybe. But that doesn't change the economics of today. If raising the MW is your fix for poverty then you're looking in the wrong direction.

[Gunny]

if the only detractor for the robots is their price, then it doesn't matter what wages are being paid, that robot price will be ticking down constantly until it overtakes and starts lapping the human labour cost. The human workers could of course start taking pay cuts to try and keep up with the ever falling price of the robot replacements, but that can only go
so far, and the robots will keep getting cheaper.

You're a real dumbass. You going to double MY wages? Because guess who fixes the robots? It ain't YOU.

In the meantime, I have technical skills you have to have a brain to do and you just made some dumbass that acts likes he's doing you a favor just showing so he can flip those burgers and shake those fries my equivalent in pay? F*ck THAT noise. And your robots too.

[pete311]

Conservatives love to use this against the min wage, but the fact is that robotics in the service industry are inevitable no matter the min wage.

[fj1200]

Conservatives love to use this against the min wage, but the fact is that robotics in the service industry are inevitable no matter the min wage.

ibid

Maybe. But that doesn't change the economics of today. If raising the MW is your fix for poverty then you're looking in the wrong direction.

[jimnyc]

Conservatives love to use this against the min wage, but the fact is that robotics in the service industry are inevitable no matter the min wage.

Perhaps, but it's always funnier when those losing the jobs are the whiners.

[Gunny]

Conservatives love to use this against the min wage, but the fact is that robotics in the service industry are inevitable no matter the min wage.

And lefties love to make it all about getting something they haven't earned. I work my ass off at hard labor 10 hours a day and some whiny, snotty-nosed leftwinger thinks they should get the same as I do for doing what I can do in 20 minutes on a grill in the back yard?

I can wire an entire store from the service to the last plug. I know how to calculate a load. I know Ohm's Law. And your burger flipping ass thinks you should get paid as much as I do? Screw THAT noise.

[Noir]

You're a real dumbass. You going to double MY wages? Because guess who fixes the robots? It ain't YOU.

In the meantime, I have technical skills you have to have a brain to do and you just made some dumbass that acts likes he's doing you a favor just showing so he can flip those burgers and shake those fries my equivalent in pay? F*ck THAT noise. And your robots too.

As with all changes - opportunities arise. Investing in robotic maintenance and repair skills is probably wise given where the service industry is going, and it's going there with or without an adequate minimum wage.