McDonald's orders 7,000 touchscreen kiosks to replace cashiers

mikemac · 19-05-2011 12:43AM

My name is URL wrote: »

I'm already lacking employment. Maybe if there wasn't so many people to sustain there would not be such a need for automation.

And less employment overall

When did it become it such a task to ask for a human to deal with you?
When did it become normal to become lost in a maze of options on a phonecall and all you want is to speak to a human?

We're going backwards, not forwards.
And this move to order by machine will backfire

ringadingding · 19-05-2011 12:44AM

I used one of these recently in Vienna, you put your card in, touch the pictures of what you want, got a ticket number and went to a guy who passed you a bag.

I'm not sure if i gained any extra time or whatever they're trying to achieve with this, but the system worked.

ArtyM · 19-05-2011 12:54AM

Corsendonk wrote: »

Its predicted by the leading guys in robotics that the real money will be in robotic sex dolls. All the latest Janpanese models are fem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAuam8iiH3Q

I would!

KungPao · 19-05-2011 12:57AM

feelingstressed wrote: »

..This move to order by machine will backfire

http://worldsofimagination.com/T-1000.gif

Naos · 19-05-2011 01:08AM

AlkalineAcid wrote: »

I suppose you refuse change from the cashier and get your money straight from the mint, right?

No, don't be ridiculous.

WindSock · 19-05-2011 01:31AM

Any job that is easily replaced with a machine is pretty soul destroying. All the freed up people can now take to learning the sitar or some such other instrument.

pragmatic1 · 19-05-2011 01:33AM

Was only a matter of time. Crazy how fast the world is changing due to technology. Great time to be alive.

Terry · 19-05-2011 01:41AM

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Was only a matter of time. Crazy how fast the world is changing due to technology. Great time to be alive.

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Cookie_Monster · 19-05-2011 01:55AM

Trevor451 wrote: »

does not change the fact that all food from McDonald's tastes like sh*it

except the large quarter pounder meal with coke

Overheal · 19-05-2011 01:56AM

The president of McDonald's Europe, Steve Easterbrook, told the Times the changes were expected to cut the serving time for each customer by three to four seconds.

Only if you expect people know how to use the ****ing thing. There are people out there that still are trying to process the death of video tape, never mind wireless internet, internet, Electronic Mail, touch screens and the like.

The only way that could possibly average out to 3 to 4 seconds saved is if 1 guy 'gets it' and 3 others don't. They'll spend 5+ minutes on the thing and he'll spend 30 seconds, instead of each of them spending 4 minutes with some kid behind the counter which (sorry, but going on the average) lacks basic comprehension skills. Somehow I ordered a sausage egg biscuit the other week and got handed chicken, and then the second try the forgot the sausage. That may seem trivial, but when your job is ensuring a biscuit has the correct combination of meat and egg, and you can't even get that right, how can you feel good about that at all? Had to just ask for the refund and walk away silenty before I made them want to kill themselves with a reality check.

zuroph · 19-05-2011 01:59AM

Article sucks, no photos.

I need the photos to choose.

Overheal · 19-05-2011 02:05AM

Terry wrote:

The you have the drive through. They always leave something out. This involves you going back in.
These machines are a waste of time.

In fairness though they've said the same thing about the industrial revolution. Computers. Calculators even. The reality is though each of these new thing gives us heaps of opportunity cost in the manner that these things boost our productivity and free us to do other pursuits. They probably made the same arguments against mechanical advances in Coal mining, that it took jobs away from kids. But kids still get jobs, it's just now they flip burgers and get grease stains instead of dying early in a mineshaft in west virginia. Theres always going to be something for humans to do, but that something will constantly change and adapt as our ability to automate the mundane changes and adapts as well. Now that kid will be more inclined to find work doing something else, perhaps less tedious and more rewarding.

df1985 · 19-05-2011 02:56AM

All this to save 3 or 4 seconds?? Also judging by Irish people in tesco, itll more likely add 3 or 4 minutes!

Chuck Stone · 19-05-2011 03:03AM

Lol at how it saves the customer 4 secs - it'll probably save McD's... (I'm not very good at estimating so i''l err on the conservative side)... BILLIONS OF DOLLAR$ every day.

Just be honest with us ffs.

franklyon · 19-05-2011 03:50AM

We have had them here (France) for ages, saves a hell of a lot more than 3 or 4 seconds I can tell you.

Usually I waltz in, smirk a the huge queue of saps wanting to pay with cash, use the touchscreen to select whatever it is I want to eat and by the time I have finished paying the food is waiting on the counter for me.
Very good system and saves a lot of time, plus it saves me having to pronounce burger in a French accent so that they will understand me

January · 19-05-2011 08:41AM

franklyon wrote: »

We have had them here (France) for ages, saves a hell of a lot more than 3 or 4 seconds I can tell you.

Usually I waltz in, smirk a the huge queue of saps wanting to pay with cash, use the touchscreen to select whatever it is I want to eat and by the time I have finished paying the food is waiting on the counter for me.
Very good system and saves a lot of time, plus it saves me having to pronounce burger in a French accent so that they will understand me

Why would you pronounce burger in a French accent?! Just say Le Big Mac!

GalwayKiefer · 19-05-2011 08:59AM

So this will allow McDonald's to fire thousands of staff and replace them with machines... I can't see how this benefits the customer in any way whatsoever, all it does is save them an absolute fortune in wages so please cut the bulls**t McDonald's. And good luck to the person stuck behind the individual who has trouble using an atm never mind a system like this. Tesco is a great example of how useless a set-up it is.

WindSock · 19-05-2011 09:10AM

Sausage and egg biscuit?

busyliving · 19-05-2011 09:12AM

GalKiefer wrote: »

So this will allow McDonald's to fire thousands of staff and replace them with machines... I can't see how this benefits the customer in any way whatsoever, all it does is save them an absolute fortune in wages so please cut the bulls**t McDonald's. And good luck to the person stuck behind the individual who has trouble using an atm never mind a system like this. Tesco is a great example of how useless a set-up it is.

I think from a customer and business stand point its great, firstly it totally standardizes the service by removing the person taking your order. Normally the people taking the orders in McDonalds don't give a toss and can get the orders wrong.

Also when you go to pay and receive your change, they can sometimes fumble around to get you the correct coins etc...

The reason the Tesco system isn't great is because you have to scan things, and because some of what they sell has age restrictions and security tags.

syklops · 19-05-2011 09:12AM

feelingstressed wrote: »

Down with this and down with companies slashing jobs to be replaced by computers

I rang Meteor this evening, sweet jesus I was bounced around so many menu's I forgot where I started
I want to deal with a human, is that so hard?

Press 9.

Duggy747 · 19-05-2011 09:40AM

Meh, you might as well be ordering from a robot anyways in McDonalds. Not like you strike up a fascinating conversation with Dimitri behind the counter.

SEPT 23 1989 · 19-05-2011 09:59AM

Can we have the Hoverboards now please:D

syklops · 19-05-2011 10:22AM

Duggy747 wrote: »

Meh, you might as well be ordering from a robot anyways in McDonalds. Not like you strike up a fascinating conversation with Dimitri behind the counter.

I used to regularly chat up the girls behind the counter. Some of them were fine, and bored, and delighted to put up with me for a few minutes. One time, one of the girls came over after I had sat down and asked me did I want more of anything? I was very pleased with the service :cool:

Pauleta · 19-05-2011 11:29AM

McDonalds is a franchise outlet so it would be up to whoever owns the individual franchise to get rid of staff. Although McDonalds will push for these machines to be used in all shops.

weldoninhio · 19-05-2011 02:46PM

GalKiefer wrote: »

So this will allow McDonald's to fire thousands of staff and replace them with machines... I can't see how this benefits the customer in any way whatsoever, all it does is save them an absolute fortune in wages so please cut the bulls**t McDonald's. And good luck to the person stuck behind the individual who has trouble using an atm never mind a system like this. Tesco is a great example of how useless Irish people are with technology.

FYP, i've never had an issue with the self service.

Liam Byrne · 19-05-2011 02:54PM

Corsendonk wrote: »

Its predicted by the leading guys in robotics that the real money will be in robotic sex dolls. All the latest Janpanese models are fem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAuam8iiH3Q

She's never seen a male version ? She should fire her researchers because James May had one on his show YEARS ago!

Talk about contrived and false info!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAO_DTeoVm8

KnifeWRENCH · 19-05-2011 02:57PM

Haven't eaten in McDonalds for a while but how will this work if you want your burger without certain things on it? When I want a quarter pounder with cheese, I literally want a burger with JUST cheese on it - no lettuce, gherkin, ketchup *gag* or any of that other crap on it.

Do the machines allow you to pick and choose toppings and stuff? Or can you only get the standard "burger with lots of crap on it" set menu items?

123balltv · 19-05-2011 03:01PM

Na I like the interaction and it's nice to get a few extras from someone you know behind the counter and you cant get friendly with a machine

bonerm · 19-05-2011 03:02PM

Corsendonk wrote: »

Its predicted by the leading guys in robotics that the real money will be in robotic sex dolls. All the latest Janpanese models are fem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAuam8iiH3Q

These boffins can make fembots as physically realistic as you like, but they'll never replace the real thing until they can include a reasonably accurate nagging function.

dvpower · 19-05-2011 03:03PM

123balltv wrote: »

Na I like the interaction and it's nice to get a few extras from someone you know behind the counter and you cant get friendly with a machine

You can get 'extras' at McDonalds?

McDonald's orders 7,000 touchscreen kiosks to replace cashiers

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