EghtesadOnline: Clamshell grills are making burger flipping obsolete at McDonald’s, Johnny Rockets and other burger chains. Digital kiosks, tabletop tablets and mobile phones are taking orders at eateries like Panera, Chili’s Grill & Bar and Domino’s. And at Silicon Valley start-up Zume, robots are being programmed to take over pizza assembly.

EghtesadOnline: Japan and Germany may be sitting on a ticking demographic time bomb where aging populations begin to drag down economic growth. Good thing they’re also prime candidates for robot revolution s.

EghtesadOnline: Sherine Toh says her best days at work are when none of the 600-or-so staff at Singapore's Tung Lok Restaurants quits, though such days are rare.