Forum: ‘AI on menu’ should benefit customers, not merely drive up costs
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I read with interest the article on how food and beverage firms are embracing artificial intelligence to enhance their operations and customer experience ( AI on the S’pore menu: F&B firms use tech to suggest drinks for health, create salad bowls and more
However, as a regular diner, I can’t help but question whether this “AI on the menu” trend truly benefits consumers or merely drives up costs, with little real improvement.
Take the example of Kopitiam at Mapletree Business City, which features an AI avatar named Kimberly that recommends stalls, locates available seats through live heat maps, and supports multiple languages.
On the surface, this sounds innovative and futuristic, with the large, eye-catching panel effective for marketing. Yet, it can only respond to one customer prompt at a time. Does such technology truly add value for the hundreds of customers who stream into the foodcourt during peak hours, or is it more of a showcase piece than a functional improvement?
At lunch hour, most diners care about three things: whether there are available seats, how long the queues are, and whether the food is good and affordable. An avatar that indicates where seats might be available is useful only if the information is accurate and updated in real time. Otherwise, it offers little more than what a customer can observe by just walking around.
Features like UV-sterilised cutlery caddies, digital concierges and AI-driven footfall analytics also come at a cost. If these costs are eventually passed on to diners through higher food prices, it is worth asking whether the trade-off is worthwhile.
If AI can reduce waiting times, optimise seating, and enhance operational efficiency, it would indeed be a welcome innovation.
Innovation should solve real problems and deliver tangible value to diners, not simply serve as a badge of modernity. Otherwise, consumers may end up paying more for novelty rather than necessity.
Josephine Lim Teo Hwee
