Generative AI & Restaurant Avatars

AI & Restaurant Update

Original post on AVIXA by KMA

This is our August update for AI and Restaurants. News, rumors, regulatory updates and resource links (vetted).

One of the drawbacks to avatars in the past has been the sometimes crude representations of real people, to the point of, at times, introducing the “creepy” element. That seemed to be the missing piece to avatars. It reminds me of holographic generators and how they are really only effective at one viewing angle. Perhaps an AI-infused generator is being worked on?

Avatars can be created and nowadays using NVIDIA technology they are very realistic. The cover image is for Maxine.  Very realistic, and she speaks 20 languages, on the fly.  Might come in handy at tourist locations if nothing else.

Customer-facing includes call-in systems. Dominos is trying out AI assist on call-in-orders by customers.

Do Chat-Bots use Avatars?  Yes, those are coming in form of personas thanks to Meta. The report indicates that Meta chatbots will take on different “voice” personas, including one that advises users on travel plans in the style of a surfer and another that speaks like Abraham Lincoln.  Again, I would not mind calling into Popeyes for some chicken fingers and having Foghorn Leghorn take my order….

The newest iteration of visual avatars is using existing “personalities” and animating them.  Imagine Mickey Mouse as an AI-powered restaurant guru with a side of wayfinding at Disney in Orlando (they have 35 restaurants there scattered all over the place). Las Vegas has 10,000 restaurants.

Cartoon characters repurposed as corporate mascots are another.

Best Fast Food Mascots

1. Colonel Sanders KFC
2. Jack In The Box
3. Ronald McDonald
4. Arby’s Oven Mitt
5. Chuck E. Cheese
6. Chick-fil-A Cows
7. Grimace from McDonald’s
8. The Hamburglar from McDonald’s
9. The Burger King King
10. Little Caesar
11. The Noid from Domino’s Pizza
12. Wendy
13. Taco Bell Chihuahua
14. Jollibee

Hard to Believe Department aka Not the Best Idea — It does pay to be careful with avatars. Rax restaurants tried one and it literally put them out of business. What the agency came up with was Mr. Delicious, a creepy, aging divorcee who picks his teeth and talks about vacationing with young friends, an apparent anger management problem, and getting a vasectomy(?)— in a fast food ad! Not surprisingly, several months after the commercial aired, Rax filed for bankruptcy.

Rumors

A -as-yet-unannounced “deal” — super major QSR with the animation of their existing cartoon mascot. It would be used at drive-thrus, kiosks in-store and mobile phone ordering. Wish I could say more. The company has thousands of stores.

Regulatory

Last week the DOJ announced it is issuing NPRM on websites AND mobile apps. This has serious ramifications across multiple venues and segments. And to date, mobile has enjoyed relative immunity. Not anymore.  Justice Department Advances Proposed Rule to Strengthen Web and Mobile App Access for People with Disabilities

Latest Resources

Here are the links and info that we have found useful recently. We are fairly harsh critics of content and especially data market reports so we do not provide this list lightly.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/glossary/data-science/generative-ai/
https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/global-ecommerce-growth-forecast-2022
https://hbr.org/2023/01/research-how-price-changes-influence-consumers-buying-decisions
https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-value-of-getting-personalization-right-or-wrong-is-multiplying
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ai-data-science/generative-ai/


https://developer.nvidia.com/omniverse/ace
https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/03/29/1021361/building-customer-relationships-with-conversational-ai/

https://xchange.avixa.org/posts/generative-ai-coming-soon-to-a-wayfinding-kiosk-near-you

DATA
Disneyland — Disneyland has a total of 65 restaurants, including quick-service, table-service, and character dining. Here is a breakdown of the different types of restaurants at Disneyland:

• Quick-service restaurants: These restaurants offer quick and easy meals, such as burgers, pizza, and chicken nuggets. There are 38 quick-service restaurants at Disneyland.
• Table-service restaurants: These restaurants offer more formal dining experiences, with tablecloths, table service, and a wider variety of menu items. There are 23 table-service restaurants at Disneyland.
• Character dining: These restaurants offer a chance to meet and greet Disney characters while you eat. There are four character dining restaurants at Disneyland.

Las Vegas — There are over 10,000 restaurants in Las Vegas, making it one of the most restaurant-dense cities in the world. This number includes everything from casual dining spots to fine-dining establishments, and from national chains to locally-owned businesses.

Here are some of the most popular types of restaurants in Las Vegas:

• Steakhouses: Las Vegas is home to some of the best steakhouses in the world, including Morton’s Steakhouse, The Palm, and Bern’s Steak House.
• Buffets: Las Vegas is also known for its buffets, which offer a wide variety of food from all over the world. Some of the most popular buffets include Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, Wicked Spoon at Cosmopolitan, and The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas.
• Asian restaurants: Las Vegas has a large Asian population, and this is reflected in the city’s diverse Asian food scene. Some of the most popular Asian restaurants in Las Vegas include The Peppermill, Raku, and Tao.
• Casino restaurants: Many of the casinos in Las Vegas have restaurants that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These restaurants are a great option for people who are looking for a quick and easy meal, or for people who are staying up late and want to grab a bite to eat.