Every day, artificial intelligence creeps into our lives without us even realizing it. Even replying to a simple email now, a window pops up asking if we need assistance writing. There’s probably a way to turn that prompt off, but I would have to use ChatGPT to find out how to do it. Some people are worried about AI taking their jobs. Restaurant workers might consider the possibility that someday a tablet sitting on the table will allow customers to place their orders themselves and then, 15 minutes later, a robot will roll out of the kitchen with a tray of food.
AI is simply everywhere, but is it really necessary for a restaurant customer to use ChatGPT to decide what to order? Believe it or not, people have been known to do so.
I went to ChatGPT and asked what I should order if I were to go to Olive Garden for dinner. Normally, if I wasn’t sure what to order, I’d ask my server who would give me suggestions based on their experience as well as the experiences of other customers. ChatGPT told me I should order the never-ending breadsticks and a garden salad as an appetizer, describing them as “classic and famous.” Breadsticks from Olive Garden. Groundbreaking.
It also suggested I consider calamari and the spinach-artichoke dip. But what’s wrong with the toasted ravioli or the meatball parmigiana? ChatGPT is going to comb the internet, looking for results of the most commonly ordered appetizers, things people have posted about online. Asking a server at the restaurant might provide you with completely different options. I mean, do you want to be the most basic of Olive Garden patrons and just order what everyone else does?
For an entrée, ChatGPT thought I might like the chicken Alfredo or Tour of Italy® along with four other options. There are at least 29 entrées on the Olive Garden menu and ChatGPT only recommended six of them. Again, these are suggested because they’re the most popular. Popular doesn’t mean the best. I have it on very good authority that the braised beef tortelloni is absolutely wonderful, but ChatGPT cares not about that particular entrée.
ChatGPT
I started with the safe crowd-pleasers.
— ChatGPT
Digging into ChatGPT, it told me that the braised beef tortellini is “very, very popular.” So popular, in fact, that when it was removed from the menu customers demanded it be put back on. I asked ChatGPT why it didn’t suggest that in the first place if it’s so wonderful and my suspicions were confirmed: “I started with the safe crowd-pleasers.” In other words, basic.
Servers are there to answer questions for customers. They can give honest responses that AI can’t. Alexa doesn’t know how spicy something is because Alexa doesn’t have taste buds. Siri doesn’t know if the Alfredo sauce is too rich because her boss is Tim Cook, who is worth about $2.6 billion. Siri doesn’t understand the meaning of “too rich.”
Darron Cardosa
The less you take advantage of the living, breathing server, the more likely it is that their job will soon become obsolete.
— Darron Cardosa
If you have questions about a menu, ask the people who know the menu. These are the ones who taste it and see it and serve it every day. Their knowledge is superior. You can use ChatGPT to help you narrow down some decisions, but utilize the human beings who are there in front of you. The less you take advantage of the living, breathing server, the more likely it is that their job will soon become obsolete.
AI is a tool, not a replacement. AI doesn’t have empathy, or concern, or a sense of urgency. A good server has all of those things. If everyone is so concerned about AI taking over jobs, maybe we shouldn’t use it quite as often as we are tempted to. Besides, artificial intelligence uses a tremendous amount of water each time it’s used because it has to cool the data centers that power it. You may as well just order a glass of water from your server at Olive Garden and then not drink it.
* ChatGPT was not used in any way for the actual writing of this article.
