I'm thinking how could a restaurant be automated with arduino?
You could use it to calculate splitting the bill
make a bullet point list of what you goes on. watch each person, watch what they do,
make list of their actions and activities the cook, the waitress, the cashiere, the buss boy, the dishwasher.
each has tasks and each may find some task would benefit by the iteration of technology.
you can make a table mounted touch screen display, embed it into the table.
person #1 touches their nearest corner, the display is set for them to read the menu
they select what they want.
they can send the order.
food comes, they did not get their siracha. press the urgent, need siracha and the screen in the kitchen or waiters area flashes table 7 needs siracha
please note that I have no affiliation for table #7 or siracha.....
or
All orders are bar coded. all orders are on the touch menu board.
the pizza(s) are made, The pizza capocuoco then presses the button indicating that he has made those pies and the next order shows on his screen.
a well made Hawaiin pizza (Thank you Sam Panopoulos, May God rest your soul) takes about 14 minutes in the oven...
the table shows "your pizza is in the oven.... 15 minutes till it is on your table"
or -
you walk up to the hostess and she asks how many in your party,
she hands you a beeperr/pager with a battery powered Arduino
when your table is ready, it beeps and flashes......
or
your imagination of what task would be welcome.
freezer alarm ?
data log oven temperatures
count customers entering the door ?
or
every thing purchased has ingredients.
100 flakes of oregano on a pizza
100 pizza, = 4 ounces of oregano
sold 800 pizzas, need to order oregano.....
some things scream for automation
some things well, automaton just gets in the way