Microsoft co-founder
Bill Gates
made the connection in a recent interview on MSNBC. Asked if he
supported a higher minimum wage, Mr. Gates urged caution and said the
policy would create an incentive for employers to "buy machines and
automate things."
Mr. Gates is right, but the
transition toward self-service began long before tabletop computers were
a viable option. Self-service soda machines, available at fast-food
restaurants since at least the late 1970s, were a labor-saving device.
Even coffee carafes left on the table for customers to serve themselves
allowed restaurants to reduce the staff needed to fill cups. More
recently, major restaurant chains such as
Bob Evans
and Chili's have updated their service model to eliminate bus
boys, relying on servers to clear tables themselves.
Source: Michael Saltsman, "The Employee of the Month Has a Battery," The Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2014
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