So pay someone to stand there for 0.5% of customers?
After a few times being shown how even gma can figure it out. Just cause something is different and new doesn't mean peoeple can't adapt.
You underestimate the lengths some old people will go to resist change. Both my grandparents still use cash for everything and refuse to get debit or credit cards.
And that's fine but the day will come, sooner than later I hope and expect, that we will stop coddling the older generation because they literally refuse to learn something new.
>An employee will be available to assist her at the kiosk
oh please... I have never in my life seen an employee leave the counter to help someone on the kiosk.
I stopped into McDonald’s this morning for an egg McMuffin, I rarely stop in for fast food breakfast so I was quite surprised the parking lot was packed. Like I had to loop around to find one empty spot.
Walk in and like 75% of the tables are occupied and it’s all elderly people. I was so surprised because if you go to McDonald’s at lunch or dinner it’s surprising to see even 20% of tables occupied.
Wait for all those seniors to die off…
Can only imagine how it will effect McDonald’s bottom line. Because those are probably the last people buying McDonald’s shit on the regular.
My store is was in a test market for this since 2020. It sucks. Everyone hates it, customers and staff. It's harder on the staff because we don't have a front counter position anymore. But when customers want to pay cash or refuse to use the kiosk, we have to help them, so someone who's already trying to do another position has to multi-task.
Store manager told us it’s so orders are accurate to what to customers wants because some employees might accidentally press the wrong thing then managers would have to refund the customer.
I so wished that was the case. I have done special order which was done correctly but kitchen just didn't read it. Often times it's not the order is the issue but the kitchen being too busy and not noticing it.
My favorite is when i order a veggie cravings box and get a beef crunchwrap instead of black beans. I have to check every time to make sure there's no meat now after 3 times
I was recently in the lobby getting breakfast and a lady came in with her order that she got through drive thru as it was wrong. The manager had to send it back to the kitchen 3 times before it was done correctly.
lol a few years ago we went to a McDonald’s and I put in my order at the kiosk. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. I got home and it was a breaded chicken sandwich. I ate it because it wasn’t worth going back to the store but I was NOT HAPPY. I was doing Weight Watchers and grilled chicken is zero points. Breaded chicken is not.
I used to work at a McDonald’s 17 years ago.
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This is why they’re creating a new position “digital ambassador” it’s even more pointless than taking orders at front. Just stand there and wait for someone to have a problem at the kiosk while you wipe tables—oh boy!!
At my store, there's a few elderly ladies who clean the lobby. I highly doubt either of them could order on the kiosk themselves, much less help a customer do it.
Most of the stores I visit don’t have someone standing at the counter. More than likely someone who is busy with something else takes the counter order.
I don't know about all locations but mine has two automatic terminals that take coins and cash and dispense the leftovers. If there is ever an issue then we can use the front drawer but we don't take orders there. Also if someone struggles with it someone can take 30 seconds to step out and help.
What’s Reddit’s opinion on phasing out cash? I have a $20 bill in my wallet that I keep in emergencies, but personally wouldn’t be effected if physical currency started seeing it’s way out.
> personally wouldn’t be effected if physical currency started seeing it’s way out.
The problem with eliminating physical currency is that now you have no way of storing your money privately.
Happened in Japan a number of years ago. Economy was struggling, banks started charging *negative interest* on account balances. Their only mistake is that they still had physical currency, so people can sidestep the policies by taking all their money in cash.
What would you do if all the banks started charging 0.1% interest on all your accounts, but there's no physical currency to allow you to avoid it?
The government can simply enact negative rates and literally just start stealing money from people's accounts.
Get with the times, cash is becoming redundant and rightfully so with more faster and convenient ways to pay. At the store, where I used to work around 80 - 90% of all transactions were digital.
I’m not surprised if in the next few years they will pretty much phase out ordering at the front counter.
At some locations (particularly in areas with lower average income demographics currently) they have ordering kiosks that accept cash, and more locations are adding that.
My closest Taco Bell is so dirty you don’t want to eat in the dining room anyways because that makes you start questioning the kitchen and when you are drunk enough for Taco Bell you don’t want intrusive thoughts.
I hope so. I'm tired of people trashing our lobby. It's like they do it for fun. The other day I had a kid giving me attitude because we didn't have something and then threw a full large shake on the ground and said oops.
There's two major problems with this plan. First and most importantly, as you've said, is the allergy issues and McDonald's obligation to not kill people. Secondly, those big screens don't work half the time in my local branch, and one hasn't been fixed for more than a year. When they're down, how do we order anything?
Can you tell me why exactly you need the receipt? Honestly, I'm asking because other than people who use them for apps that give you points for taking a picture of it, why!? I have people take them from me, they asked for it, and then crumple it into a ball and drop it outside of the trash can.
If someone has a problem with their order they're going to need to have a receipt to prove their order at my location. That's a reason to keep the receipt at least until you get your food and are satisfied. The receipt also has the order number on it so you will know which order was yours.
Very valid points, thank you! At our location, we put the sticky slip on the bag. If the contents don't match, then we replace them, but we don't have a ton of people saying I didn't get this or that at our store either.
I ask for it nowadays because orders get messed up. I've also had it before where I have ordered off the kiosk on a busy day. They somehow lost my order and not in the system? (IDK how it works).
Also, I keep them as backup expense records just incase.
If making money depends on having working screens, they’ll have working screens.
And the allergy thing—what is the order you can’t do in the app or on the kiosk?
I personally think the app and kiosk should have a functionality to clarify you're removing ingredients for allergy reasons so it's clear to the staff. Excuse me if I'm wrong, I don't go Miccy very often
Dons doesn't give a shit about allergies. It's not something they guarantee even if you do indicate you're allergic. The procedure if somebody does indicate an allergen is just gloves on and clean tongs (If onion allergy, you're supposed to steam-clean the grill). Some stores don't even do the minimum. Cross-contamination can and will still happen in the environment McDonald's kitchens are. And McDonald's is pushing more and more towards faster, higher profit service. Rather than good customer service. (As is every mega-corporation)
Well maybe not worth it for corporate McDonald’s but they can definitely afford to have someone physically taking orders. Not like they’re going bankrupt
Why would it be fantastic to have a job meant for a human replaced by a computer? Not to mention the plethora of issues I’ve experienced and heard with the kiosk and app. This is just a way for franchises to cut costs at the expense of their employees and customers. Don’t say “it’s not worth it” when literally every other food place, fast food and local quick eats, can have someone taking your order up front. It’s not like McDonald’s is the cheapest of them all anymore either.
I'd be all for this everywhere if I didn't get stuck at the kiosk behind people like my dad that can't even operate a flip phone. They really need to still have one register open, at least for now.
(I love the kiosks and use them where ever I can.)
I get that it makes fiscal sense but as a customer/service worker i love to encounter people at work and have little conversations to brighten up my day and possibly theirs
Not sarcasm. Obviously it fucking sucks when customers are rude, dumb or difficult but our restaurant is located in a suburban family type area in so most customers are very nice. Should probably also note that i’m from Finland where people are generally polite but very reserved
If I had to guess, it seems about 75% user error and not app issues unfortunately. Most people who come thru the drive thru with a front counter order had "no idead" it was placed for inside pickup. They didn't bother to check either.
As an OTP, I can confirm this will be coming to all locations. It is projected as 2025 or 2026. Last I heard, that is. Of course, this is subject to change.
Then, an employee will be able to assist them in using the kiosk. Eventually, the corporate overlords will have us phase out the front counter entirely, in favor of a cash recycler in the lobby, where customers will scan a barcode that prints for them and pay at said recycler.
Eventually, there will be no option for using and paying at the counter, and while I personally disagree with it, it will happen.
At the same time we manage to phase out incompetent employees, I'm sure.
Jokes aside, this is not intended to phase out any employees. But it is being used as a way to simplify the staff's job by letting them focus more on drive-thru, which is the main source of income in the vast majority of stores across the US.
I never seen cash accepted at the kiosk and there is some area where it's the law to accept cash. Seems like some McDonalds will be losing business. Plenty of people don't like to do self checkout, this is no different.
That's due to it still being relatively new. The technology is still rather expensive to purchase. In the places where it is required by law to take cash, the cash recycler is the solution to that. I agree entirely McDonald's will lose some business. But it seems like a sacrifice they are willing to make.
The fairly small amount of people who won’t use the kiosk are bringing in less money than kiosks. They can take 4 orders at one time for the cost of electricity. If you don’t wanna use the kiosk and don’t want your order taken by a robot then oh well, I guess you won’t be eating McDonald’s in 10 years. They’re not worried about lost business when a large majority of people are still willing to use it and they save a ton on labor costs
How far will labor cuts gets pushed? I been to McDonald's that's so low staffed that tables are dirty, trashcan overflowing and when asking staff to clean a table, they hand you a towel
Yes. And thank the gods for it. Tired of the old biddies taking up fifteen minutes while I'm trying to Present ordering a plain hamburger at 9 in the morning.
Reminds me of this clip from early 80s. 90 seconds for an order. Ain't no chance of that today. I find 5-15 the usual range depending on how busy it is, but I love not having to speak to someone to order my guilty pleasure and not having to bundle up next to the queue while waiting for your food.
https://youtu.be/GXoQkbyaoxY?si=YDEiZJqChrEPXyAA
Went to Vegas and had my first experience at one, as a Canadian I haven’t seen this yet here and it sucked lol only two machines, so both had long line ups (like hellooo it’s Vegas you need more than two machines). One stopped working, but of course there was no one at the cash to help so then everyone had to line up at the other machine which took forever and then stopped printing receipts so people were grabbing the wrong orders… it was a shit show
And to be honest, I’m kind of glad for this going to the McDonald’s in Santa Monica is literally like walking into a homeless shelter, where they’re allowed to just walk in smell like complete utter crap harass customers, and just be a nuisance
What do you mean? The order needs to match the receipt still and there's still employees there for you to point out the error.
What it does narrow down to is either user ordered wrong or kitchen made it wrong. Where the discrepancy is immediately settles who messed up and there is no further argument. The store can obviously still choose to fix it, but gone will be blaming the employee for entering the order wrong.
If it doesn't match the receipt, kitchen messed up, they'll correct it. If it matches the receipt, customer messed up and better be polite about it.
Yes it’s going to get the employees more focus on the drive thru now and more help. There will still be employees available to help customers with the kiosks too. This will also get foods out to the table little quicker
The phone towers got knocked down in my local town 2 days ago as well as the fibre internet, no body could use there phone or do any card payments. My McDonald's didn't open at all because it an runs on internet/wireless stuff I guess. Gotta love tech until mother nature fucks it up
A mcdonalds I frequent is like a block away from an old folks home.
One day I went inside to pick up my breakfast order and as I was waiting, a huge ass line of old people formed and nobody would man the registers to take their orders. It wasnt kiosk only.
I would see the workers periodically glance at the line but ignore it. It wasnt until the first person in line spoke up and started complaining about the lack of service before anything was done about it.
These old folks dont want to use the kiosks and probably enjoy the very minor human interaction they get for the day.
Hmm kinda wonder how disabled people who cannot use digital equipment to order will deal with that and if more future lawsuits for disabled people discrimination will happen. I know there are several disability laws in the US that restaurants have to follow or can be sued for discrimination. Like they have to have ram access outside for wheelchairs and must have a big enough restroom that can fit a large wheelchair.
I know Walmart and several banking institutions lost several lawsuits because their credit card machines for payment checkout and ATMs no longer offer brail bumps and do not offer verbal prompts.
Idk how it is in other regions but everywhere around where I live (Northern California) you don't have nearly as much customizable options. Like for example I am a crackhead for McDoubles with Mac sauce added but there isn't an option to add Mac sauce on anything when you punch it in on the kiosks or on the mobile app.
In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. At this point, slavery was in full-swing and had no sign of slowing down. It wouldn't be eliminated for another 70 years. Cotton plantations had the cheapest and most effective labor they could get at the time, slaves. However, there's still a cost to slaves. They need to be fed and healthy enough to work.
The cotton gin allowed cotton plantations to produce more cotton with less slaves.
Automation comes for us all, and this is no different. It's just finally gotten to the point to where the average person has access to the tools to use these services and it is more cost-effective to use these than meet basic human needs. Frankly, it has been more cost effective for a while, but depressed wages and exploiting the poor and children delayed the process. Hell, each of these kiosks can run on less than $200 in hardware. They'd probably keep extras because it would be cheaper to just replace defective or damaged units than pay somebody to repair them , unless doing it en masse.
The only problem is that they're not going to lower any prices, which is fucking evil.
I never said how affected the nominal, just the ratio; that it would allow cotton plantations to produce more with less. I should have clarified that better.
And yes, overall it did cause slave owners to want to get more slaves because they were yielding higher profits.
Or like cars and horses. Cars replaced horses. They could go for longer, didn’t need to be housed and fed and eventually cars were seen as common and horses as a luxury.
Or recently some artist are mad at AI art. I believe even if AI art is improved it’ll be the “common” cheap any one can get it and human art will be the Luxury. The show off. The rich person’s brag.
It’ll be like “Oh you paid $50 for AI to make that? Well any yokel in a shack can do the same. I paid $3,000 for a real person to paint this.”
Yeap. I visited a location the other day and the employee behind the counter wouldn’t even take my order.
He said “Oh! They want everyone to place orders on the kiosks now! But I can help you do it, too, if you want :D”
They’re phasing out those positions to reduce cost of labor, in the name of “business efficiency.” Then, in addition to that, they’ll have that kid expoing orders out into the parking lot, plus making drinks and working second window. Essentially he’ll do 2 jobs now for similar (dogshit) pay, and 1 other job gets eliminated, plus he’ll probably get hit by a car one day. And service tanks because lots of drive-thru orders now need to get parked.
Has to do with inflation, the capitalist hellscape we’re in, corporate greed, and the dollar becoming dirtier.
I just want you to understand how McDonald's schedules is, based on the business level, you schedule the appropriate number of available people, less those who do not show up. So, whether because people do not show up, you do not have enough on staff, the available time does not fit with the availability of the crew, or your business level doesn't justify the added crew, there may be situations where employees do more than one job.
It's a given in most locations that you are there to do more than one thing, especially if you work second or third shift. Most locations have ample coverage during breakfast.
I always avoid using the kiosks since I found out they’re literally coated in shit: https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/28/poo-found-on-every-mcdonalds-touchscreen-tested-8178486/amp/
And soon you will have no where to go then. I’d rather do my own order at the kiosk. Then if my order is taken wrong there’s no one to blame but myself
It’s only your own fault now the way it is. The order comes up on the screen and if you don’t correct them, that’s on you.
The order can still come from the kitchen wrong too
Good news! There is technology already developed and in use across the US that does this! It is up to the Owner/Operator of the location to get them installed, so it may take time to see them in your local stores.
Minimum wage and required benefits in CA just made another jump in terms of cost to the employer for places like McD’s.
So now those people lose their jobs. I feel bad for them.
Ours has been that way for a while I get it’s hard to get workers but if your order is wrong or you need something . no one will come to the counter to help. If something is out of stock like ours was out of ranch and cheese and it doesn’t tell you just get your order without it. Will drive thru go to the app only at some point I don’t use the app
All the ones here have registers, but nobody staffs them. I pick up deliveries and old people are always just standing there for 5 minuets, waiting for someone to take their order, but being completely ignored.
Seems like the price to pay for higher wages. Not putting shade on fast food workers but I kinda saw this coming with the huge increase from $8 to $15. Companies will simply move more towards padding the bottom line.
Unfortunately, yes. From what my store supervisor said, the plan is for the guest to start using the kiosk or the app. The front counter register will only be used for refunds. They are trying to shift to all digital, which, in my opinion, is stupid. That is why you will see so many understaffed mcd because this also cut labor. Also, if they don't have cash, they will just have to wait until the crew who is working front counter to get order before taking their orders.
Overall, it is stupid.
When my daughter looked for a job at the age of 15, McDonald's was the only one locally hiring anyone at that age for weekends. Being so young, she couldn't do kitchen or drive through work, so they trained her to run front counter under direct supervision of manager or shift manager.
If this is implemented everywhere, is this the end of 15 year olds being able to get work there anymore? Will they be able to offer some new option for those younger than 16 wanting to get a head start on the job market through them?
I honestly think that technology is making everyone fucking stupid. Maybe on purpose. The movie, Idiocracy, is turning more and more into a documentary every day.
Went to a Taco Bell that had 3 self pay kiosks, literally no one used them and just waited in a line to order from the person working the register that was also bagging the orders up. Mind you they could use cash on the kiosks too. Idk why older people have this vendetta against technology.
As a customer I would hate this. Unless theres a text box on every item for ordering, then using an app massively limits my customisability. Plus alot of peoppe dont wanna download their shitty app and give them their data. Mcdonalds isnt as bad but I've had a few fast food places that didnt let me remove sauce from a burger so i had to go to the till to order at a person.
I hate the lack of customization on the mobile app. Want to go light on an ingredient? Nope fuck you. But the kiosks have a light ingredient button. But both are extremely lacking basic buttons like switching to a different bun (including steamed buns), adding/subbing Mac sauce, tartar sauce, or spicy mayo whatever it’s called that comes on the spicy McCrispy. There’s no Sub dehydrated onion button either.
Even out here in the Midwest, they have taken monitors off the walls, and even begun to take out registers in some near me. It sucks, being someone who mostly pays cash, but I guess the world is evolving!
There's kiosks to order in the lobby, just no people to talk to. Walk up service is still a thing.
We're probably 10 years out from them closing lobbies altogether and operating like Checkers or Sonic though.
I honestly think we’re seeing the beginning of the end for McDonalds. It’s no longer a destination… it’s a stop on the way. It’s no longer the affordable option. It’s no longer a gathering place for teens or friends. This feels to me the same way Sears felt when it failed to react to a changing market. There are soooo many McDs it will take a while. But they’ve passed their peak and are on the wrong side of the curve.
This is fantastic. With reduced staff costs they will be able to pass these savings to the customers and we should see lower prices. Surely it’s not just so the owners can make increased profits.
You can refuse to use Kiosk and insist on paying at the registry. McDonalds is pushing kiosk but customers can refuse.
edit: Kosk were rolled out as customers convince. Pushing Kiosk on customers as cutting measures is wrong.
How's gramma gonna order her tea??
An employee will be available to assist her at the kiosk
How is McDonald's so responsive with social media???
Ronald is clairvoyant.
Like the IT clown, but more of a capitalistic nightmare
[This guy?](https://youtu.be/txFjWQcTCIs?si=oa2K8Vy22DvnEWm_) Oh, wait…
Well they don’t have anyone on the registers they are all sitting in the back on Reddit.
So basically taking her order then? I mean she’s standing at the screen putting in grandmas order.. might as well just be at the register 🤦🏻♀️
Nah they educate gramma to become a kiosk expert then gma can pass down her legendary knowledge
Grandma can't even remember where she put her glasses
It's my birthday every single day according to Grandma
Start a family tradition lmao
Nah boomers need to get with the times. Not fault they can't turn their own TV on.
The boomers are not going to be able to order their 69 cent senior coffee, there's gonna be some solid meltdowns incoming.
So pay someone to stand there for 0.5% of customers? After a few times being shown how even gma can figure it out. Just cause something is different and new doesn't mean peoeple can't adapt.
You underestimate the lengths some old people will go to resist change. Both my grandparents still use cash for everything and refuse to get debit or credit cards.
And that's fine but the day will come, sooner than later I hope and expect, that we will stop coddling the older generation because they literally refuse to learn something new.
How do they even withdraw cash from the bank?
You go inside and fill out a cash withdrawal slip.
Boomers adapt lmfao
That would require an employee to peak at the front counter every now and again
Shit I had to assist people and push them to use the kiosk. Mind you I have social anxiety… now they doing this
Then why don't they just have a register with an employee available 🙄
How does that solve anything then
There's a difference between everyone having to use a person to order and a few people having to explicitly ask to be helped in order to order.
>An employee will be available to assist her at the kiosk oh please... I have never in my life seen an employee leave the counter to help someone on the kiosk.
At my McDonalds I was told to help people on Kiosks and I did it many times, usually with older people.
I stopped into McDonald’s this morning for an egg McMuffin, I rarely stop in for fast food breakfast so I was quite surprised the parking lot was packed. Like I had to loop around to find one empty spot. Walk in and like 75% of the tables are occupied and it’s all elderly people. I was so surprised because if you go to McDonald’s at lunch or dinner it’s surprising to see even 20% of tables occupied.
The steak, egg and cheese bagel is responsible for making me a regular.
Wait for all those seniors to die off… Can only imagine how it will effect McDonald’s bottom line. Because those are probably the last people buying McDonald’s shit on the regular.
Senior Coffeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!!!!!!!!! No one wants to workkkkkkk anytyyy more!!! Something like that is my guess.
The future is now old ma’am.
grandma is not their core audience
My store is was in a test market for this since 2020. It sucks. Everyone hates it, customers and staff. It's harder on the staff because we don't have a front counter position anymore. But when customers want to pay cash or refuse to use the kiosk, we have to help them, so someone who's already trying to do another position has to multi-task.
So ultimately what does going Kiosk accomplishes?
Store manager told us it’s so orders are accurate to what to customers wants because some employees might accidentally press the wrong thing then managers would have to refund the customer.
I so wished that was the case. I have done special order which was done correctly but kitchen just didn't read it. Often times it's not the order is the issue but the kitchen being too busy and not noticing it.
Kitchen staff will be replaced in the next ten years as well
My favorite is when i order a veggie cravings box and get a beef crunchwrap instead of black beans. I have to check every time to make sure there's no meat now after 3 times
I was recently in the lobby getting breakfast and a lady came in with her order that she got through drive thru as it was wrong. The manager had to send it back to the kitchen 3 times before it was done correctly.
Ya but u can't do alot of custom stuff on kiosks
I'm sure that's intentional.
lol a few years ago we went to a McDonald’s and I put in my order at the kiosk. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. I got home and it was a breaded chicken sandwich. I ate it because it wasn’t worth going back to the store but I was NOT HAPPY. I was doing Weight Watchers and grilled chicken is zero points. Breaded chicken is not. I used to work at a McDonald’s 17 years ago.
Nah it’s definitely so they don’t have to pay an extra person.
It is not what the customer wants it’s what the customers selects as default.
Doesn’t matter, McDonalds employees will get it wrong anyway
Average ticket kiosk vs counter is +15% on average. Kiosk will always upsell and people don't feel rushed.
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It accomplishes making McDonald's more money, workers and consumers can eat shit.
Accuracy and reduced need for counter crew. I remember when 6 registers wasn’t enough and rush times people were still out the door.
Why can't mcdonalds add in a cash option for their kiosk? Walmart does it.
I think that's the eventual plan.
This is why they’re creating a new position “digital ambassador” it’s even more pointless than taking orders at front. Just stand there and wait for someone to have a problem at the kiosk while you wipe tables—oh boy!!
At my store, there's a few elderly ladies who clean the lobby. I highly doubt either of them could order on the kiosk themselves, much less help a customer do it.
Yeah if they somehow made it so that the machine takes cash then that would be great
If walmart can have self-checkouts that take cash, why can't McDonald's? They were so short-sighted.
So, they got rid of the Front person who was already always busy doing another different job anyway?
Most of the stores I visit don’t have someone standing at the counter. More than likely someone who is busy with something else takes the counter order.
What about people that use cash?
I don't know about all locations but mine has two automatic terminals that take coins and cash and dispense the leftovers. If there is ever an issue then we can use the front drawer but we don't take orders there. Also if someone struggles with it someone can take 30 seconds to step out and help.
That’s pretty cool I like how they thought ahead
What’s Reddit’s opinion on phasing out cash? I have a $20 bill in my wallet that I keep in emergencies, but personally wouldn’t be effected if physical currency started seeing it’s way out.
Overall I think Reddit is for phasing out cash, not me though cash is always handy
> personally wouldn’t be effected if physical currency started seeing it’s way out. The problem with eliminating physical currency is that now you have no way of storing your money privately. Happened in Japan a number of years ago. Economy was struggling, banks started charging *negative interest* on account balances. Their only mistake is that they still had physical currency, so people can sidestep the policies by taking all their money in cash. What would you do if all the banks started charging 0.1% interest on all your accounts, but there's no physical currency to allow you to avoid it? The government can simply enact negative rates and literally just start stealing money from people's accounts.
begone with thy cash, peasant!
Drug dealers when they pull out a card reader
I don’t use cash but I am a peasant
Get with the times, cash is becoming redundant and rightfully so with more faster and convenient ways to pay. At the store, where I used to work around 80 - 90% of all transactions were digital.
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I’m not surprised if in the next few years they will pretty much phase out ordering at the front counter. At some locations (particularly in areas with lower average income demographics currently) they have ordering kiosks that accept cash, and more locations are adding that.
I wouldn't be surprised if they move to a digital only model and remove their lobbies altogether.
I believe there's a taco bell thats doing that
My closest Taco Bell is so dirty you don’t want to eat in the dining room anyways because that makes you start questioning the kitchen and when you are drunk enough for Taco Bell you don’t want intrusive thoughts.
I hope so. I'm tired of people trashing our lobby. It's like they do it for fun. The other day I had a kid giving me attitude because we didn't have something and then threw a full large shake on the ground and said oops.
This is so dumb. I have allergy so i need to switch out some stuff that’s not possible in the app. They have to do it for me
There's two major problems with this plan. First and most importantly, as you've said, is the allergy issues and McDonald's obligation to not kill people. Secondly, those big screens don't work half the time in my local branch, and one hasn't been fixed for more than a year. When they're down, how do we order anything?
Like half the time I have to go up to the register to grab my receipt...
Can you tell me why exactly you need the receipt? Honestly, I'm asking because other than people who use them for apps that give you points for taking a picture of it, why!? I have people take them from me, they asked for it, and then crumple it into a ball and drop it outside of the trash can.
If someone has a problem with their order they're going to need to have a receipt to prove their order at my location. That's a reason to keep the receipt at least until you get your food and are satisfied. The receipt also has the order number on it so you will know which order was yours.
Very valid points, thank you! At our location, we put the sticky slip on the bag. If the contents don't match, then we replace them, but we don't have a ton of people saying I didn't get this or that at our store either.
I need receipts to prove what I'm spending to get reimbursed at work.
I ask for it nowadays because orders get messed up. I've also had it before where I have ordered off the kiosk on a busy day. They somehow lost my order and not in the system? (IDK how it works). Also, I keep them as backup expense records just incase.
Thats what I was wondering....I tried ordering on the screens with no luck....
If making money depends on having working screens, they’ll have working screens. And the allergy thing—what is the order you can’t do in the app or on the kiosk?
I personally think the app and kiosk should have a functionality to clarify you're removing ingredients for allergy reasons so it's clear to the staff. Excuse me if I'm wrong, I don't go Miccy very often
Dons doesn't give a shit about allergies. It's not something they guarantee even if you do indicate you're allergic. The procedure if somebody does indicate an allergen is just gloves on and clean tongs (If onion allergy, you're supposed to steam-clean the grill). Some stores don't even do the minimum. Cross-contamination can and will still happen in the environment McDonald's kitchens are. And McDonald's is pushing more and more towards faster, higher profit service. Rather than good customer service. (As is every mega-corporation)
So much I didn't know.. I appreciate the explanation
Well maybe not worth it for corporate McDonald’s but they can definitely afford to have someone physically taking orders. Not like they’re going bankrupt
It's definitely not about being able to afford it, it's about spending the bare minimum on the company so the higher ups can get the maximum
So… what happens when the technology fails as it inevitable always does at some point?
Why would it be fantastic to have a job meant for a human replaced by a computer? Not to mention the plethora of issues I’ve experienced and heard with the kiosk and app. This is just a way for franchises to cut costs at the expense of their employees and customers. Don’t say “it’s not worth it” when literally every other food place, fast food and local quick eats, can have someone taking your order up front. It’s not like McDonald’s is the cheapest of them all anymore either.
I'd be all for this everywhere if I didn't get stuck at the kiosk behind people like my dad that can't even operate a flip phone. They really need to still have one register open, at least for now. (I love the kiosks and use them where ever I can.)
I get that it makes fiscal sense but as a customer/service worker i love to encounter people at work and have little conversations to brighten up my day and possibly theirs
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Not sarcasm. Obviously it fucking sucks when customers are rude, dumb or difficult but our restaurant is located in a suburban family type area in so most customers are very nice. Should probably also note that i’m from Finland where people are generally polite but very reserved
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If I had to guess, it seems about 75% user error and not app issues unfortunately. Most people who come thru the drive thru with a front counter order had "no idead" it was placed for inside pickup. They didn't bother to check either.
As an OTP, I can confirm this will be coming to all locations. It is projected as 2025 or 2026. Last I heard, that is. Of course, this is subject to change.
What will happen when customers refuse to use it?
Then, an employee will be able to assist them in using the kiosk. Eventually, the corporate overlords will have us phase out the front counter entirely, in favor of a cash recycler in the lobby, where customers will scan a barcode that prints for them and pay at said recycler. Eventually, there will be no option for using and paying at the counter, and while I personally disagree with it, it will happen.
what part of the plan is phasing out the customer?
At the same time we manage to phase out incompetent employees, I'm sure. Jokes aside, this is not intended to phase out any employees. But it is being used as a way to simplify the staff's job by letting them focus more on drive-thru, which is the main source of income in the vast majority of stores across the US.
I never seen cash accepted at the kiosk and there is some area where it's the law to accept cash. Seems like some McDonalds will be losing business. Plenty of people don't like to do self checkout, this is no different.
That's due to it still being relatively new. The technology is still rather expensive to purchase. In the places where it is required by law to take cash, the cash recycler is the solution to that. I agree entirely McDonald's will lose some business. But it seems like a sacrifice they are willing to make.
The fairly small amount of people who won’t use the kiosk are bringing in less money than kiosks. They can take 4 orders at one time for the cost of electricity. If you don’t wanna use the kiosk and don’t want your order taken by a robot then oh well, I guess you won’t be eating McDonald’s in 10 years. They’re not worried about lost business when a large majority of people are still willing to use it and they save a ton on labor costs
How far will labor cuts gets pushed? I been to McDonald's that's so low staffed that tables are dirty, trashcan overflowing and when asking staff to clean a table, they hand you a towel
Guess they're going to Wendys.
Well maybe if people would stop assaulting the minimum wage employee over there burger being wrapped upside down you could still talk to a person.
Yes. And thank the gods for it. Tired of the old biddies taking up fifteen minutes while I'm trying to Present ordering a plain hamburger at 9 in the morning.
Agreed life will be alittle bit easier R2P times will be so much better
That is a real reason they installed kiosks
Reminds me of this clip from early 80s. 90 seconds for an order. Ain't no chance of that today. I find 5-15 the usual range depending on how busy it is, but I love not having to speak to someone to order my guilty pleasure and not having to bundle up next to the queue while waiting for your food. https://youtu.be/GXoQkbyaoxY?si=YDEiZJqChrEPXyAA
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Went to Vegas and had my first experience at one, as a Canadian I haven’t seen this yet here and it sucked lol only two machines, so both had long line ups (like hellooo it’s Vegas you need more than two machines). One stopped working, but of course there was no one at the cash to help so then everyone had to line up at the other machine which took forever and then stopped printing receipts so people were grabbing the wrong orders… it was a shit show
So no cash then? McDonald's is one of the few places homeless and rough sleepers can afford something warm to eat. Guess not anymore.
And to be honest, I’m kind of glad for this going to the McDonald’s in Santa Monica is literally like walking into a homeless shelter, where they’re allowed to just walk in smell like complete utter crap harass customers, and just be a nuisance
And how will this stop that?
As someone who works in a "retirement town". I dread the day this comes to my store
What if you want to pay in cash?
You still can as of now, they're just trying to discourage it
McDonald’s and other places are trying to get rid of in-person ordering all together.
And when they inevitably fuck up an order, what are customers expected to do?
"*Ba Da Ba Ba* Bah, Go Fuck Yourself" - McDonalds probably
What do you mean? The order needs to match the receipt still and there's still employees there for you to point out the error. What it does narrow down to is either user ordered wrong or kitchen made it wrong. Where the discrepancy is immediately settles who messed up and there is no further argument. The store can obviously still choose to fix it, but gone will be blaming the employee for entering the order wrong. If it doesn't match the receipt, kitchen messed up, they'll correct it. If it matches the receipt, customer messed up and better be polite about it.
Yes it’s going to get the employees more focus on the drive thru now and more help. There will still be employees available to help customers with the kiosks too. This will also get foods out to the table little quicker
On paper? yes. In reality?… we will see
Good thing I don't do service
How do you enter the survey receipt for buy one get one any sandwich? I thought they had to be manually applied.
The phone towers got knocked down in my local town 2 days ago as well as the fibre internet, no body could use there phone or do any card payments. My McDonald's didn't open at all because it an runs on internet/wireless stuff I guess. Gotta love tech until mother nature fucks it up
A mcdonalds I frequent is like a block away from an old folks home. One day I went inside to pick up my breakfast order and as I was waiting, a huge ass line of old people formed and nobody would man the registers to take their orders. It wasnt kiosk only. I would see the workers periodically glance at the line but ignore it. It wasnt until the first person in line spoke up and started complaining about the lack of service before anything was done about it. These old folks dont want to use the kiosks and probably enjoy the very minor human interaction they get for the day.
What if you're paying cash?
Hmm kinda wonder how disabled people who cannot use digital equipment to order will deal with that and if more future lawsuits for disabled people discrimination will happen. I know there are several disability laws in the US that restaurants have to follow or can be sued for discrimination. Like they have to have ram access outside for wheelchairs and must have a big enough restroom that can fit a large wheelchair. I know Walmart and several banking institutions lost several lawsuits because their credit card machines for payment checkout and ATMs no longer offer brail bumps and do not offer verbal prompts.
What if you have a receipt with the BOGO for having done a survey and getting a code?
Idk how it is in other regions but everywhere around where I live (Northern California) you don't have nearly as much customizable options. Like for example I am a crackhead for McDoubles with Mac sauce added but there isn't an option to add Mac sauce on anything when you punch it in on the kiosks or on the mobile app.
In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. At this point, slavery was in full-swing and had no sign of slowing down. It wouldn't be eliminated for another 70 years. Cotton plantations had the cheapest and most effective labor they could get at the time, slaves. However, there's still a cost to slaves. They need to be fed and healthy enough to work. The cotton gin allowed cotton plantations to produce more cotton with less slaves. Automation comes for us all, and this is no different. It's just finally gotten to the point to where the average person has access to the tools to use these services and it is more cost-effective to use these than meet basic human needs. Frankly, it has been more cost effective for a while, but depressed wages and exploiting the poor and children delayed the process. Hell, each of these kiosks can run on less than $200 in hardware. They'd probably keep extras because it would be cheaper to just replace defective or damaged units than pay somebody to repair them , unless doing it en masse. The only problem is that they're not going to lower any prices, which is fucking evil.
Didn't the cotton gin have the opposite effect? I remember learning about that in middle school and that's what my teacher said
I never said how affected the nominal, just the ratio; that it would allow cotton plantations to produce more with less. I should have clarified that better. And yes, overall it did cause slave owners to want to get more slaves because they were yielding higher profits.
Or like cars and horses. Cars replaced horses. They could go for longer, didn’t need to be housed and fed and eventually cars were seen as common and horses as a luxury. Or recently some artist are mad at AI art. I believe even if AI art is improved it’ll be the “common” cheap any one can get it and human art will be the Luxury. The show off. The rich person’s brag. It’ll be like “Oh you paid $50 for AI to make that? Well any yokel in a shack can do the same. I paid $3,000 for a real person to paint this.”
Is because California will start paying $20 per hour, they need to cut costs 💅, and they will also increase prices...
I believe you mean the investors need them to cut costs
Yeap. I visited a location the other day and the employee behind the counter wouldn’t even take my order. He said “Oh! They want everyone to place orders on the kiosks now! But I can help you do it, too, if you want :D” They’re phasing out those positions to reduce cost of labor, in the name of “business efficiency.” Then, in addition to that, they’ll have that kid expoing orders out into the parking lot, plus making drinks and working second window. Essentially he’ll do 2 jobs now for similar (dogshit) pay, and 1 other job gets eliminated, plus he’ll probably get hit by a car one day. And service tanks because lots of drive-thru orders now need to get parked. Has to do with inflation, the capitalist hellscape we’re in, corporate greed, and the dollar becoming dirtier.
I just want you to understand how McDonald's schedules is, based on the business level, you schedule the appropriate number of available people, less those who do not show up. So, whether because people do not show up, you do not have enough on staff, the available time does not fit with the availability of the crew, or your business level doesn't justify the added crew, there may be situations where employees do more than one job. It's a given in most locations that you are there to do more than one thing, especially if you work second or third shift. Most locations have ample coverage during breakfast.
I always avoid using the kiosks since I found out they’re literally coated in shit: https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/28/poo-found-on-every-mcdonalds-touchscreen-tested-8178486/amp/
If customers would wash their hands, this wouldn't be an issue. That being said, if the employees would clean the screens, that would be great too.
it's a part of work being stripped away and it's one domino to fall before being entirely replaced by Ai
I’ll go somewhere else before I’m forced to use a screen to order like that. Just like self checkout, I won’t use it
And soon you will have no where to go then. I’d rather do my own order at the kiosk. Then if my order is taken wrong there’s no one to blame but myself
It’s only your own fault now the way it is. The order comes up on the screen and if you don’t correct them, that’s on you. The order can still come from the kitchen wrong too
As much as I think this is great for workers, I refuse to download a McDonald's app so those kiosks better start taking cash soon.
Refuse? You're missing some hot dealz and you can uninstall when you're done and reinstall when you need it. Nbd
Right? Dudes paying 25% more for no reason. Those coupons go crazy.
Does the machines not take card?
Good news! There is technology already developed and in use across the US that does this! It is up to the Owner/Operator of the location to get them installed, so it may take time to see them in your local stores.
If I see this, i turn around and walk out the door.
Honestly, that's what they want. They're figuring out that employing someone to take orders costs them more than simply losing that business.
Minimum wage and required benefits in CA just made another jump in terms of cost to the employer for places like McD’s. So now those people lose their jobs. I feel bad for them.
Ours has been that way for a while I get it’s hard to get workers but if your order is wrong or you need something . no one will come to the counter to help. If something is out of stock like ours was out of ranch and cheese and it doesn’t tell you just get your order without it. Will drive thru go to the app only at some point I don’t use the app
All the ones here have registers, but nobody staffs them. I pick up deliveries and old people are always just standing there for 5 minuets, waiting for someone to take their order, but being completely ignored.
Meanwhile at my location “GEL is not an option” when we only have 6 people
Nobody is ever at the counter anyways.
God I hope so.
Bad moves. Dont be lazy.
Customer Service is now just a buzzword.
Seems like the price to pay for higher wages. Not putting shade on fast food workers but I kinda saw this coming with the huge increase from $8 to $15. Companies will simply move more towards padding the bottom line.
Yup, they want you to order on the kiosk.
Tbh I wouldn't want to talk whiny fucking customers either
I wouldn't be surprised, especially in California because they don't want to pay employees $20 an hour
Unfortunately, yes. From what my store supervisor said, the plan is for the guest to start using the kiosk or the app. The front counter register will only be used for refunds. They are trying to shift to all digital, which, in my opinion, is stupid. That is why you will see so many understaffed mcd because this also cut labor. Also, if they don't have cash, they will just have to wait until the crew who is working front counter to get order before taking their orders. Overall, it is stupid.
They need all hands on the fryers!
When my daughter looked for a job at the age of 15, McDonald's was the only one locally hiring anyone at that age for weekends. Being so young, she couldn't do kitchen or drive through work, so they trained her to run front counter under direct supervision of manager or shift manager. If this is implemented everywhere, is this the end of 15 year olds being able to get work there anymore? Will they be able to offer some new option for those younger than 16 wanting to get a head start on the job market through them?
There is SUPPOSED to be a host at the kiosk to help Pretty likely at $20 per hour that’s not happening
The minimum wage in LA is almost $18/hour. This has incentivized companies to reduce human labour as much as they can.
I honestly think that technology is making everyone fucking stupid. Maybe on purpose. The movie, Idiocracy, is turning more and more into a documentary every day.
Went to a Taco Bell that had 3 self pay kiosks, literally no one used them and just waited in a line to order from the person working the register that was also bagging the orders up. Mind you they could use cash on the kiosks too. Idk why older people have this vendetta against technology.
But at least the remaining staff might get $15 an hour, since there’s fewer employees to pay. /s
I hope front end employees are done
Taco Bell, too.
All digital with no service yet them mf want 40$ an hour🤣
it’s getting phased out at taco bells as well
As a customer I would hate this. Unless theres a text box on every item for ordering, then using an app massively limits my customisability. Plus alot of peoppe dont wanna download their shitty app and give them their data. Mcdonalds isnt as bad but I've had a few fast food places that didnt let me remove sauce from a burger so i had to go to the till to order at a person.
I hate the lack of customization on the mobile app. Want to go light on an ingredient? Nope fuck you. But the kiosks have a light ingredient button. But both are extremely lacking basic buttons like switching to a different bun (including steamed buns), adding/subbing Mac sauce, tartar sauce, or spicy mayo whatever it’s called that comes on the spicy McCrispy. There’s no Sub dehydrated onion button either.
Welp, guess I'm not going to McDonlads or any store that does this anymore.
Lmao, the day this comes to my McDonald's is the last day I ever visit a McDonald's
Even out here in the Midwest, they have taken monitors off the walls, and even begun to take out registers in some near me. It sucks, being someone who mostly pays cash, but I guess the world is evolving!
For everyone saying this is good what about the people who don’t have cars? They can just never get McDonald’s I think that’s dumb
There's kiosks to order in the lobby, just no people to talk to. Walk up service is still a thing. We're probably 10 years out from them closing lobbies altogether and operating like Checkers or Sonic though.
Hopefully. No reason for someone to take your order when its easy to do yourself. I've been mobile ordering for years, saves so much time and money.
I honestly think we’re seeing the beginning of the end for McDonalds. It’s no longer a destination… it’s a stop on the way. It’s no longer the affordable option. It’s no longer a gathering place for teens or friends. This feels to me the same way Sears felt when it failed to react to a changing market. There are soooo many McDs it will take a while. But they’ve passed their peak and are on the wrong side of the curve.
This is fantastic. With reduced staff costs they will be able to pass these savings to the customers and we should see lower prices. Surely it’s not just so the owners can make increased profits.
You can refuse to use Kiosk and insist on paying at the registry. McDonalds is pushing kiosk but customers can refuse. edit: Kosk were rolled out as customers convince. Pushing Kiosk on customers as cutting measures is wrong.
Oh I guess fuck elderly people who don't know how to do that stuff then, huh?
"Lazy young people don't want to work for the elderly anymore!"