What is most interesting to me about automation in the restaurant industry, is its almost complete absence in the United States.

If—as I understand it—labor costs dominate the cost structure of all restaurants, then why isn’t the average restaurant already mostly robots?

Is it really a technology issue? We haven’t been able to build a burger making robot until today? Seems unlikely.

Is it financial? The capital deployable to build a single restaurant can’t cover the initial costs of the robot? Seems like a McDonalds could spread the costs over thousands of restaurants.

So what gives?