If you’ve been to an Olive Garden anytime in the last year, you’ll notice the Italian casual dining chain no longer offers unlimited pasta on the menu. More consequentially, the Olive Garden menu itself is displayed by a computer monitor at your table. It’s called Ziosk, a black 7-inch touchscreen that allows diners to order from the menu and pay on demand. Apparently, the first systems were tested in 2013, and are gradually being adopted by major chains, including Chili’s, Uno Pizzeria and Grill, Ruby Tuesday, Red Robin, Outback, and Applebee’s. Today, there are Ziosk consoles in 3,000 restaurant locations, serving 50 million Americans every month. If you haven’t dined with Ziosk or one of their competitors yet, you’re bound to eventually.

The obvious advantage of Ziosk for these chains is they can run the same sized restaurant with a smaller staff. By their own estimates, Ziosk also allows guests to leave the restaurant an average of five minutes sooner because they spend less time waiting for a server to take their order and bring the check. Quicker turnaround means serving more guests, shorter wait times during peak hours, and a greater day’s profit. Ziosk also increases the size of the average check. The bright display’s constant advertisements have increased Chili’s appetizer and dessert sales by 20 percent, and it seems customers are leaving larger tips because the machine has a generous default setting.