Dupont Panera Shuns Human Interaction, Installs Ordering Kiosks

Human interaction is on the decline at a Dupont Circle Panera.

Several new computerized ordering kiosks were installed at the restaurant at 1350 Connecticut Ave NW last week, says store manager Gabrielle Nicol.

So far, the kiosks haven’t seemed to confuse the soup-and-sandwich shop’s clientele. Several customers were observed sleepily dragging their fingers across the ordering stations’ touchscreen monitors when Borderstan visited the store earlier this morning.

The new kiosks are in line with the national chain’s “Panera 2.0” effort launched last April.

But this isn’t a sign that Judgement Day is upon us. Customers can still order at cash registers manned by human employees, and Nicol said no cashiers made of flesh and blood were let go as a result of the installation.