Expensive labor makes expensive machines cheaper. I was in McD land when we made the transition from flat grills to clamshells, and the lunch rush grill crew went from 3 or 4 (and sometimes 5) to 2 or 3 and never more than 3. After I left they added staging cabinets which I’m sure reduced it more (3 probably became a rarity). Now I’ve seen there’s machines available (expensive, until labor costs go up) to make it so the only person that will be needed in the grill is somebody to bring it supplies. It’s a natural evolution. Add kiosks up front and pretty soon the whole store will need 1 person at lunch rush just watching to call the repairman if somebody vandalizes the machines.
Exactly, machines require nor tax or payroll payments, no unemployment, work comp or insurance. And machines never ever demand a wage increase, at least not yet. People think that McD’s are gold mines, once they were, but increased wages, competition and loss leader menu items have sorely reduced the assay value of the ore.