An unsettling new restaurant chain learns your preferences and serves your food with zero human interaction
A new restaurant chain called Eatsa is unlike any fast-food chain we've seen before.
The restaurant is almost fully automated, functioning like a human-powered vending machine that spits out freshly-prepared quinoa bowls.
It was recently named one of the most influential brands in the restaurant industry by Nation's Restaurant News.
When customers enter Eatsa, they order their food at an iPad kiosk.
When they wait in front of a wall of glass cubbies, where their food will be appear when it's ready.
Hidden behind the wall of cubbies, kitchen staff prepares the food.
When an order is ready, an employee will place it in one of the cubbies. The door to that cubbie will then light up with the name of the customer who ordered the bowl.
The entire process requires zero human interaction between customers and workers.
The menu at Eatsa consists of a variety of quinoa bowls costing $6.95 that feature toppings like portobello mushrooms, edamame, corn, salsa, guacamole, cheese, egg, nuts, onions, pears, roasted potatoes, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, and more.
Customers can create their own quinoa bowls from the ingredients or order from a number of recommended menu items like the "burrito bowl" with guacamole, salsa, cheese, asada portobello, grilled corn, warm lemon-herb toasted quinoa, tortilla chips, and seasoned pinto beans.
Eatsa's computer system remembers every customer's order. So whenever they return to the restaurant, the system will display their previous orders and recommend new quinoa bowls based on their preferences.
The company says its goal is to "democratize access to nutritious food."
"With our unique technology, we can provide better food, faster, and at an unprecedented price of just $6.95," Eatsa's website says.
The chain has two locations in San Francisco and Los Angeles and plans to add 10 more restaurants this year, according to Nation's Restaurant News.
Article Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/eatsa-fully-automated-restaurant-chain-2016-2
Image Source: http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/56cb690d2e526575008b8c5f-961-641/eatsa_interior.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Automated (adj.) ~ using machinery and electronics to perform most tasks
2. Quinoa (n.) ~ a grain high in nutrients traditionally grown as a staple food high in the Andes
3. Preference (n.) ~ a greater liking for one alternative over another or others
4. Unprecedented (adj.) ~ never done or known before
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. How would you feel about eating in an automated restaurant? Discuss your answer.
2. Do you think that this kind of restaurant could take off in Korea? Explain you answer.
3. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of an automated restaurant?
