Wisconsin Restaurants’ Latest Hires? Robots!

A growing number of local restaurants are adding to their workforce without hiring humans. How? Robots.

Golden Nest Pancakes & Cafe was the first Milwaukee restaurant to introduce Servi, a robotic food runner and “bussing bot” created to solve the ongoing staffing shortage. 

But before you worry that robots are replacing people: STOP! Servi’s job is to assist employees and increase their efficiency when the restaurant is at its busiest.

RELATED: How a Green Bay Restaurant’s Robot Helped It Stay in Business

“Ultimately, the robots support the core staff that we have,” Golden Nest’s general manager told OnMilwaukee. “And that support allows them to spend more time with their guests, rather than running back and forth between tables and the kitchen.”

Other benefits? Robots can work 12-18 hour days on a single charge, they don’t call in sick, and they’re never stuck in traffic.

WISCONSIN’S WISH LIST – A new residence hall and three new academic buildings are at the top of the University of Wisconsin’s wish list for the next state budget. Members of the Campus Planning Committee just released their priorities. Here’s what made the cut (& why.)

CONGRATS, DE’VONDRE! –  Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell is the Packers’ nominee for the 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the NFL’s most prestigious honor that acknowledges players who excel on the field and create a lasting, positive impact off of it! Click here to learn why we think Campbell deserves the honor.

WON’T YOU BE OUR NEIGHBOR? – Madison is America’s #1 most “neighborly” city, according to a new ranking by Neighbor Blog. Wisconsin’s capital scored highly for its outdoor recreation, great food and brews, political activism, and its famed farmers’ market. Click here for the full list of the Top 25 Most Neighborly Cities in America and how they were determined.

Who works harder than Santa, the elves, and all the reindeer put together during the holiday season? Arguably–restaurant workers. 

That’s why restaurant tech company BentoBox is trying to establish Dec. 14 as National Restaurant Workers Day.

The past few years have been rough on everyone, but especially restaurant workers. BentoBox, which handles digital ordering services for more than 14,000 restaurants nationwide, including hundreds here in Wisconsin, says that customers are tipping 21% less on online orders (from an average of $4.35 in October 2021 to about $3.44 in September of this year).

National Restaurant Workers Day is designed to be a time when both employers and customers (aka YOU!) show their gratitude. BentoBox shared 11 ways employers can celebrate their employees–from giving credit to staff who create dishes on their menu to covering the cost of one rideshare per month, just to make their day a little easier.

RELATED: 80% of Restaurant Workers Would Rather Have Good Mental Health Than a High-Paying Job

What YOU Can Do: Tip, as generously as you’re able to.

In Wisconsin, a majority of restaurant workers make the “tipped employee” minimum wage of $2.33/hour. That means they rely on the average of $95/day they’re making in tips to pay their bills.