The Future of Employee Experience in Dining: Balancing Automation, Digital Tools, and Human Touch

In the rapidly evolving dining sector, the employee experience is emerging as a critical driver of both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. As restaurants face persistent labor shortages, wage inflation, and the accelerating adoption of automation, the industry is at a crossroads: how can digital tools empower staff, streamline workflows, and still preserve the irreplaceable human touch that defines hospitality?

The pandemic fundamentally reshaped the restaurant landscape. While diners have returned to restaurants, many workers have not, leading to shortened hours, closed dining rooms, and increased pressure on existing staff. Restaurants have responded with higher wages, enhanced benefits, and new retention strategies, but high turnover and rising costs remain stubborn challenges. In this environment, the imperative is clear: restaurants must do more with less, leveraging technology to optimize every aspect of the operation.

The narrative around automation in dining has shifted. Where once there was anxiety about "robots replacing jobs," the focus is now on how technology can augment and support staff. Key areas of investment include:

• Self-Service Kiosks and Contactless Ordering: Kiosks and mobile ordering platforms reduce the burden on front-line staff, allowing them to focus on higher-value interactions. Far from being obsolete, kiosks have made a strong comeback, offering a lower cost to serve and enabling staff to be redeployed to roles that require a human touch.
• Smart Kitchen Technology: Automation in the kitchen—such as voice ordering, integrated kitchen display systems, and predictive cooking tools—streamlines workflows, reduces errors, and increases throughput. These tools are designed to make less work for the crew, not to eliminate their roles.
• Responsive Merchandising and Digital Menu Boards: Smart menu boards and mobile apps can guide customers to order items that optimize kitchen efficiency and inventory, reducing complexity for both staff and guests.
• Systems Integration: By connecting point-of-sale, loyalty, and offer management systems, restaurants can remove friction from the employee experience. For example, seamless coupon redemption and suggestive selling features reduce the cognitive load on staff and improve order accuracy.

Despite the promise of automation, the essence of dining remains deeply human. The quality of the food, the speed and accuracy of service, and the warmth of the interaction all depend on engaged, empowered employees. When the employee experience suffers—due to disjointed systems, overwhelming complexity, or lack of support—customers notice. As the saying goes, "diners can always tell if the cook is unhappy."
To truly transform, restaurants must:

• Redesign Service for Simplicity: Streamline processes and remove unnecessary steps, so staff can focus on delivering great food and memorable service.
• Invest in Training and Upskilling: As digital tools become more prevalent, ongoing training ensures staff are confident and capable, reducing turnover and improving morale.
• Foster a Culture of Collaboration: Break down silos between operations and digital teams. Employee and customer experiences are two sides of the same coin and must be improved in tandem.

A successful employee experience strategy in dining requires a holistic, data-driven approach:

1. Assess the Current State: Map the end-to-end employee journey, identifying pain points in workflows, technology, and culture.
2. Prioritize Digital Investments: Focus on tools that directly reduce friction for staff—such as integrated POS systems, automated scheduling, and real-time communication platforms.
3. Test and Learn: Pilot new technologies in select locations, gather feedback from employees, and iterate quickly. Solutions like Test-and-Learn Automation (TALA) can help optimize both customer and employee experiences.
4. Measure What Matters: Track metrics such as employee satisfaction, turnover rates, order accuracy, and customer feedback to ensure that digital transformation is delivering results for both staff and guests.

The future of employee experience in dining is not about choosing between automation and the human touch—it’s about finding the right balance. By thoughtfully integrating digital tools and automation, restaurants can empower their teams, reduce operational strain, and create the conditions for exceptional guest experiences. As the industry continues to evolve, those who invest in both their people and their platforms will be best positioned to thrive.
At Publicis Sapient, we help dining brands reimagine the employee and customer experience together, leveraging data, technology, and human insight to drive sustainable growth. The restaurant of the future is not just digital—it’s human at its core, powered by technology that enables people to do their best work.

Ready to transform your employee experience? Let’s start a conversation about building a digital-first, human-centered dining operation that delights both your staff and your guests.

Relevant Links

• Subscribe to our “Next in Dining Experience” podcasts
• Subscribe to our “Next in Dining Experience” podcasts
• Regional Spotlight: Digital Dining Transformation in Asia-Pacific
• Cómo las Empresas de Productos de Consumo en América Latina Pueden Mantenerse Relevantes con el Comercio Total (LATAM)
• Les tendances clés qui transforment l’industrie des produits de grande consommation en Europe (Europe)