Posted on 07/18/2018 1:38:23 AM PDT by Cronos
“Would you like fries with that?” may soon be a phrase of the past.
As minimum wage levels approach or surpass $15 nationwide, restaurant customers expecting to be greeted by a smiling face will instead be welcomed by a glowing LED screen.
As of 2020, self-service ordering kiosks will be implemented at all U.S. McDonald’s locations. Other chains, including fast-casual brands like Panera and casual-dining brands like Chili's, have already embraced this trend. Some restaurant concepts have even automated the food-preparation process; earlier this year, NBC News profiled "Flippy," a robot hamburger flipper. Other upcoming concepts include virtual restaurants which eliminate the need for full-service restaurants (and staff) by only offering home delivery
While some consumers may appreciate the novelty or added convenience, the conveniences come at the cost of entry-level jobs.
My concern about this is personal. Without my opportunity to start as a grill man, I would have never ended up running one of largest fast food chains in the world. I started working at McDonald’s making the minimum wage of 85 cents an hour. I worked hard and earned a promotion to restaurant manager within just one year, then went on to hold almost every position available throughout the company, eventually rising to CEO of McDonalds USA.
The kind of job that allowed me and many others to rise through the ranks is now being threatened by a rising minimum wage that’s pricing jobs out of the market. Without sacrificing food quality or taste, or abandoning the much-loved value menu, franchise owners must keep labor costs under control. One way to combat rising labor costs is by reducing the amount of employees needed.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
cashier’s aren’t going anywhere as long as there is a drive thru. who eats INSIDE a fast food place anyway?
I also feel bad for people who are visually impaired or the elderly. They can’t use these things.
and another thing (jeesh didn’t think i’d have so many opinions about a Big Mac ordering machine), its gross to touch that big flat screen after a thousand people are pushing on it. YUCK
Why would anyone buy fast food made by people using their bare hands?
What's so special about that big flat screen? As opposed to, say, a door handle or a push-plate or a staircase hand-rail?
I actually like how they did the kiosks at Panera. Endless number of customization options — many of which I previously was not aware of. And since most people are scared of them (for whatever reason) and, thus, stand in line, I get in and out quicker.
I don’t normally eat at McSleaze. The only couple of times I have since implementation of kiosks, the kiosks were not all that “user friendly” if you wanted something customized (for example, an ice coffee with none of the nasty flavoring that they normally put in it). So, in order to get what I wanted, I still had to go to a cashier and patiently explain what I wanted.
As for the germ factor (in either case), I simply go to the restroom and wash my hands...which I normally do before eating anyway, particularly after handling money as in a fast food joint.
they’re gross too but if I have to get into a building it is what it is. I don’t have to use these things.
Don’t think this just starts and ends at fast food.
The world will dramatically change over the next 10 years with Kiosks, 5G, Automation, Artificial Inteligemce, robots, drones, automaton planes, ships, trucks and cars, homes, etc....
5G rolls out in less than 5 months. It should take about 5 years before it’s everywhere. It will advance us into the Jetsons age and then 6G will roll out. That will operateate at 1Terabit per second or 1,000 Gigabits per second. It will be built faster and we will be fully engulfed on the Terabits network 2028 or 10 years from now.
We all know how 4G changed are world with Smart Phones, Aps, the Internet, smart TVs, cars, tablets, etc.... wait until 5G And 6G
They’re easy to use but they do take a bit longer for the reason you mentioned. I’ve been to Wawa to grab a coffee and bagel and I see people standing at the damn kiosk when I arrive, and same person standing there as I’m checking out and leaving. just looking at their options for a sub, I guess.
Technically...you can use other parts of a push door other than the plate...some door handles(the lever types)...can be opened by the side of your hand...and you don’t have to grasp the handrail(unless you have balance issues or strength issues)....suggest using the 2nd joint of a curled finger to punch in your selections....or a stylus...
GERMOPHOBES UNITE!
The drive-through would be one of the first places to go. They’d put multiple slots where you reach out, order and then wait until your order is at the take-out window
G. I can’t wait.
The next stage is adding voice to it, like Cortana / Alexa or Siri
A simple anti-septic automated wipe-down after each usage is the answer. Very simple to design and implement
Yup...now kids will learn how to eat tide pods 5 seconds before than they have learned now.
McD in the USA or UK versus McD in Poland or India or Japan are completely different — in Poland and India they are treated like “premium fast food” and are clean and neat always. In Italy or japan they are kind of middling but still clean. Only in the US and UK did I find MCds pretty bad - the worse were in San Fran when I last visited in 2011 — besides which I found the entire city disgusting (and that was after visiting Mumbai...)
It can work if the Internet and our currency is decentralized.
The Blockchain and Crypto Currency are doing that now.
These things are already prevalent at McDonalds here in Europe. There are multiple language options, a must in Europe. The print is not small and each option has an accompanying picture.
It provides the ability to add extra toppings or delete toppings (my wife always orders w/o pickles to enure a freshly made burger). From what I have seen, it does speed up the process, as each kiosk can handle two customers at a time (one on each side) and two kiosks are always open.
There is still the option at every McDonald’s I have seen here for at least one person to manually take orders and handle cash transactions (a must in Germany).
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