They have been playing with order kiosks off and on for more than 20 years. I remember being in a McD’s between Dallas and Houston in the early 90s where they had order kiosks that weren’t being used. And I saw them in a train station in Europe a few years ago. (Those machines only seemed to have the local language, so I had to go to the counter to order in English).
I suppose some exec has said “this time will be different”.
Not only can ordering burgers from an automated Kiosk work, Mc Donalds probably only needs to invest in a server as a front end to take the order from the customers smart phone app that allows the customer to custom order a custom made burger to their own tastes, including a medium rare burger or egg tested for e coli or other bacteria by an inline bio sensor, using a build a burger pate and fries can sold by the gram and drink of your choice.
The order can be placed ahead of time before the customer even arrives and paid for by a EBT card by any kid in the ghetto with his or her ObamaPhone
The technology already exists and the user already owns and is familiar with the input device which is the big hurdle that has been overcome
That is what makes it different this time around