Restaurants around the world have changed throughout history and have faced their own hardships to get to a standard that is seen today as “normal.”

The word “restaurant” derives from the latin word “restaurare”which means “to renew.”

Restaurants are locations where customers can come to relax and eat either by themselves, a couple of other people, or a large party.

The first recorded restaurant was opened in Paris, France, near the Louvre Museum in 1765 by a man named Monsieur Boulanger.

The only dish served was sheep’s feet simmered in a white sauce.

Since then, society as well as dining venues have changed from being strictly formal and elegant to including the addition of informal restaurants and fast food chains.

Where in previous years, customers would sit and talk with their party, now family members, friends or colleagues who dine together are often found preoccupied either with their cellular phone or another mobile device.

According to StateFoodSafety, an average cell phone has 25,127 bacteria per square inch, while a toilet seat has around 1,201 bacteria each square inch.

This provides a reason why diners should put away their phones and avoid all contact with it, unless necessary, while eating to prevent a multitude of sicknesses.

Waiters and waitresses also see being on the phone while dining as a sign of poor etiquette. 

According to The New York Times, rude customers were a cause of the strike against the restaurant industry in 1903 in Chicago, Illinois, along with hard working conditions and low pay. 

The strike led to a great loss of chefs, waiters and hosts, much like the more recent lack of restaurant staff members who left the industry when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States.

In March of 2020, restaurants across the U.S. were either shut down or closed temporarily, causing them to release workers for periods of time that kept extending due to rising cases. 

According to the National Restaurant Association, more than 110,000 eating and drinking establishments closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

The workers who were released were faced with limited options to choose from, including filing unemployment and getting hired at a job that was deemed “essential.”

Over time, as the number of COVID patients decreased and vaccines were released, restaurants started to open up to the public, starting with drive-thrus then leading to half to eventually full capacity dining areas. 

Since unemployment and essential jobs pay more than restaurants, many restaurant workers did not return to their previous jobs in the food industry, according to restaurantdive.com. 

This led to most restaurants being understaffed with not enough help to serve their customers. 

Restaurants across the nation are now trying to gain staff members for various work positions by convincing them to join their establishments in multiple ways. 

It is not uncommon to see signs at eating establishments that advertise the raised starting pay they are now offering, usually bolded or a bright color to stand out among the rest of the text. 

Other ways restaurants, such as McDonald’s, are trying to bribe people to work for them is by adding more benefits, such as retirement plans and multiple forms of insurance.

Some restaurants, however, are coming up with alternatives rather than trying and potentially failing to attract workers. 

A restaurant that serves Latin food in Dallas, Texas, named “La Duni” has resorted to using technology as their waitstaff instead of humans. 

The three robots, made by American Robotech, resemble tablets on a pedestal that wheel themselves around to each table to take customers orders.

The upkeep cost is only $15 a day to maintain the robots which is less than hiring an employee who will likely earn $7.25 an hour through Texas’s minimum wage.

La Duni is open eleven hours and thirty minutes each day, making the total cost of a human employee approximately $583 per week, which is $478 more than the daily cost of the robots.

Locally, eating establishments are hiring high school students in need of extra money or something to do after school and on the weekends rather than buy their own robots. 

Guiseppe’s Italian Dining in Marlow is one of many restaurants that offer jobs to high schoolers. 

Junior Luke Banks has worked at the establishment since he was eleven years old when his family started operating the business. 

He currently waits tables and manages takeout occasionally, which has helped him prepare for his future and improve his communication skills.

“Working in the restaurant industry business has helped me learn how to work well with others and how to resolve problems with people and customers,” Banks commented.

While the future of the restaurant business is unknown, it continues to change locally and worldwide as the customers and society adapt with it.