A chain of diners staffed by deliberately rude wait staff has arrived in the UK at the same time as kitchen robotics steps up a level. What if the two concepts were to meet?
The restaurant world never stands still. Much like the veg in a boiling pot of soup, new ideas are always coming to the surface. Over the last week, two in particular caught our attention.
Robots have long been used to work on assembly lines, handle warehouse logistics and even perform surgery. Thanks to scientists at Cambridge University they are now being used to perform an even more vital task: tasting food.
According to the snappily titled article Mastication-Enhanced Taste-Based Classification of Multi-Ingredient Dishes for Robotic Cooking, the boffins have developed a robot that can not only ‘taste’ food but, critically, can also simulate how chewing can affect the flavour of the food. When we chew food, we change its texture while enzymes in our saliva can influence how we perceive the flavour of the food.
This matters because previous robochefs can mechanically follow simple recipes but they have not been so efficient at adapting them. Chefs and cooks are always advised to taste food as they prepare a dish so they can tweak it. That way they can take into account, say, seasonal variations in ingredients and adjust the recipe – perhaps by altering the seasoning.
Are robochefs the best recipe for restaurant owners?
Certainly restaurant owners would be thrilled at the idea of kitchen staff that never want to take a holiday or turn up late for their shift looking as though they have been on a three day bender with Johnny Depp. Obviously, flesh and blood chefs would be less chuffed at the idea that they might be replaced by a Dalek with a spatula.
The other story that gripped us is that the Karen’s Diner chain of restaurants is expanding out of Australia into the UK. We understand that a Sheffield branch is already open with a Manchester launch hot on its heels.
The staff are revolting
The Karen’s concept is a chain of 1950s, American style diners where the food is fab but the staff are revolting. As in they are revolting against the tyranny of the Karens who make up their customers. For readers who have been fortunate enough to avoid hearing the term Karen used in a derogatory sense by hospitality staff, Karens are rude, entitled customers who are overly fond of complaining. Especially when there is nothing to moan about. ‘I demand to see the manager!’ is the war cry of the Karen.
At Karen’s Diner, the staff are fighting back by being as rude as possible to the customers. Or, as their marketing bumf has it: ‘At Karen’s you will be greeted and waited upon by rude waiters who in return are expecting you to give it full Karen. A place where you can complain until the cows come home because we literally don’t care’.
Poisonous online review
Naturally, the concept has been a great success with the company opening five branches in Australia before exporting the idea to these shores. Will it catch on here? In general, Brits do not like complaining face to face. They prefer to do it online via venomous and anonymous TripAdvisor posts.
Perhaps the Karen’s Diner problem could address this problem by hooking up with the Cambridge scientists and automating the waiting staff. As we know, simply having a supermarket till tell you that you have an unexpected item in the bagging area can be infuriating. Imagine how much more deliciously vexing it would be if you order a Diet Coke and your robowaiter looked you up and down before announcing, ‘Too late for the diet version, chunky boy’. Or perhaps the seating could double as speak your weight machines.
“Check out more Entertainment Now lifestyle news, reviews and interviews here.”
