Self-Checkout And Food Delivery Are Depriving Us Of This 1 Essential Type Of Human Interaction

The micro-interactions you have with waiters, takeout delivery people and grocery store cashiers have more meaning than you realize.

The way we get our food has become a solitary endeavor. You can go to the grocery store, get what you need on your own and use self-checkout. Or, you can get your food delivered without having to talk on the phone to order or interact with the delivery person.

In this post-COVID world, many restaurants have kept QR code menus, which often allow customers to place their orders online instead of with a waiter. At fast-casual restaurants like Panera Bread and Shake Shack, you can order through a digital kiosk. Some restaurants are even using robot waiters in place of people.

There’s no question that these advances in technology have made getting food more convenient. If you’re introverted or dislike interacting with others, going back in time a decade to when you had to talk to someone to order may sound like a nightmare.

But according to experts who study how interactions with strangers impact the human psyche, eliminating interactions with food service workers has a bigger effect — both at an individual level and a societal level — than many realize.

What We Gain From Interacting With Food Service Workers