'Wow Bao' is Opening a Staffless Restaurant in Chicago
References: wowbao & chicagotribune
Wow Bao has grown its presence in Chicago thanks to comforting bao, steamed buns, and other Korean and East Asian delicacies, but the fast casual restaurant chain is turning heads in Chicago for something completely unrelated to its food. On December first, Wow Bao will open a fully autonomous restaurant, allowing diners to make their order, receive it, and eat without any wait staff involved whatsoever.
Though the concept is novel for the vast majority of North American diners, it should be relatively intuitive. Patrons place their orders at digital kiosks along the wall of the restaurant, and they pick up their food from one of the LED-lit counters which will display each diner's name on an LCD screen.
Immediately after opening, Wow Bao will staff the autonomous restaurant with two "concierges" to make sure everything runs smoothly, but the chain hopes to remove even those in due time.
Though the concept is novel for the vast majority of North American diners, it should be relatively intuitive. Patrons place their orders at digital kiosks along the wall of the restaurant, and they pick up their food from one of the LED-lit counters which will display each diner's name on an LCD screen.
Immediately after opening, Wow Bao will staff the autonomous restaurant with two "concierges" to make sure everything runs smoothly, but the chain hopes to remove even those in due time.
Trend Themes
1. Autonomous Restaurants - The emergence of fully autonomous restaurants presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the food service industry.
2. Digital Ordering - The use of digital kiosks for ordering and LED-lit counters for food pickup creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in restaurant technology.
3. Staffless Dining - The concept of staffless dining in restaurants has the potential to revolutionize the way customers experience and interact with food establishments.
Industry Implications
1. Food Service - The autonomous restaurant trend could revolutionize the food service industry, making dining experiences more efficient and convenient.
2. Restaurant Technology - The adoption of digital ordering systems and LED-lit counters in restaurants opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in restaurant technology.
3. Hospitality - The concept of staffless dining in hospitality establishments could disrupt traditional service models and allow for greater flexibility in operations.
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