McDonald's beginning to replace cashiers with touch screens

[IHateMyJob2004]

We're all turning into drones. Ever notice at the grocery store or Wal-mart that no one talks (is freindly) with hte cashiers anymore?

technologoy is frickin' awesome!

 

[Fern]

Considering a machine makes $0 and is cheap to buy and maintain, why would minimum wage have anything to do with this?

I'm not sure I agree with your assessment regarding the machine's costs. But I would say it is likely completely irrelevent anyway.

Why should McD's pay a person to stand there and use the touchscreen for me when I'm pefectly capable of using it myself? They are an unnecessary interface these days. It's like having a bank employee stand there and operate the ATM for me.

As already mentioned, probably won't reduce too many workers, still need to make the fries/food and bag the food etc.

Fern

 

[Fern]

I've never seen a self checkout at a Walmart, which makes me wonder if they concluded that they just aren't worth the trouble for some reason.

The Walmart near me had them, but only for a short time. My guess was theft was waaaay too easy.

But over here Home Depot and grocery stores have them.

Fern

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Ding, fries are done!!!!

http://www.americanangst.com/dingfries.html

 

[wuliheron]

The next big thing is supposedly cheap RFID (radio frequency identification) tags. I saw a commercial once where a guy goes through a store stuffing things into his pockets. As he walks out a scanner lights up and a cop stops him. But instead of being busted, the cop hands him something he dropped. The scanner automatically registered all the items in his pockets and deducted his account.

That's the kind of technology that should become widespread sometime within the next ten years. Instead of sliding items onto a laser register and pushing a lot of buttons, you simply walk through a gate and maybe wave your credit card at the machine to indicate how you wish to pay. The store might have someone at the exit randomly check to make sure your receipt matches all the items.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

RFID chips can be blocked with the proper case. I use one with my TWIC card.

TWIC = Transportation Workers Identification Card (Required by many refineries, chemical plants, and gas transmission plants)

 

[JS80]

People like you are why I support the "living wage" concept.

And people like you are why people you pretend like you are helping lose jobs.

 

[wuliheron]

RFID chips can be blocked with the proper case. I use one with my TWIC card.

TWIC = Transportation Workers Identification Card (Required by many refineries, chemical plants, and gas transmission plants)

Yeah, the other big push is for cheap video cameras and computer AI that can spot things like shoplifting. Physicist David Brinn predicted in the near future just about all public places will be constantly monitored for crime not only by the police and stores, but the average person who wants to ensure they don't get mugged and has a cheap camera phone.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

reminds me of the carls junior kiosk in idiocracy.

"F*** you! I'm eating!"

 

[WhipperSnapper]

The next big thing is supposedly cheap RFID (radio frequency identification) tags. I saw a commercial once where a guy goes through a store stuffing things into his pockets. As he walks out a scanner lights up and a cop stops him. But instead of being busted, the cop hands him something he dropped. The scanner automatically registered all the items in his pockets and deducted his account.

Unless they can get it down to one or two pennies per item, it seems like something that would really bump up the costs of goods and groceries.

 

[piasabird]

Put paper in printer, Duhh!

Still have to have people wipe off the table.

I think they should make it so you can sit down and order the food on your I-phone and then they just bring it to your table. The McD App.

 

[umbrella39]

Not at all interested in using the touch screen after the snotty nosed kid ahead of me used it because the stupid mom thought it would be cute to let her sick kid place the order.

 

[ElFenix]

a mcdonalds in beaumont had touchscreen ordering machines back nearly a decade ago. haven't seen one since.

most people can't figure out how to send an email without stabbing themselves in the face, so i don't think this will catch on that well. japan yes. elsewhere, probably not.

 

[LurkerPrime]

a mcdonalds in beaumont had touchscreen ordering machines back nearly a decade ago. haven't seen one since.

most people can't figure out how to send an email without stabbing themselves in the face, so i don't think this will catch on that well. japan yes. elsewhere, probably not.

10 years ago was all before smartphones (touchphones) and apps and all that crap. Now that this is mainstream, I see this catching on easier. It would also work better if I could just order the food with an app on my phone and got a text when my order was ready.

On another note, I was at Mcdonalds the other day and got a 20 piece nuggets. the cashier rung up 2 -10 piece nugget which is more expensive. I noticed after I had already paid, and when I pointed it out she got the manager. The manager had the gall to ask "It's only a $1.27 difference, are you sure you want to to this?". my response "yes, I want MY $1.27 back"

 

[sportage]

What Mc isnt telling you is that they have also discovered a way to make and cook the food right in China. When you order a bigmac on the touch screen, that order is sent straight to China and or Mexico where the burger is assembled and zip shipped to the Mc counter using air tubes, then packed in a sack by a robot and shoved in your face. I hear the process is much like that used by the motor bank drive thru. A series of tubes shoot your food from offshore locations to your local Mc. Next, outsource the American cow?

 

[JD50]

Not at all interested in using the touch screen after the snotty nosed kid ahead of me used it because the stupid mom thought it would be cute to let her sick kid place the order.

You're eating at McDonalds and you're worried about germs from a touch screen register?

 

[Pliablemoose]

It's about goddamn time, I had to learn how to say "iced tea, no sugar" in Spanish.

 

[nobodyknows]

And people like you are why people you pretend like you are helping lose jobs.

Is English your second language?

No, they lose jobs because of outsourcing and because of the influx of illegal aliens who are willing to work cheap and have five families live in a four bedroom house.... and people like you.

 

[StarTech]

Still going to need people to make and serve the stuff. Also going to be more techs maintaining the stuff.

I'm actually glad. No more dealing with people having a shitty day, who just don't give a shit, give attitude, etc. Just put my crap on a tray...

I do not get that feeling when I order at McDonals or any other fast food places.

 

[nobodyknows]

I'm not sure I agree with your assessment regarding the machine's costs. But I would say it is likely completely irrelevent anyway.

Why should McD's pay a person to stand there and use the touchscreen for me when I'm pefectly capable of using it myself? They are an unnecessary interface these days. It's like having a bank employee stand there and operate the ATM for me.

As already mentioned, probably won't reduce too many workers, still need to make the fries/food and bag the food etc.

Fern

There are still a bunch of older people who would have a hard time operating such a device, and many of them probably couldn't operate it.

 

[wuliheron]

Unless they can get it down to one or two pennies per item, it seems like something that would really bump up the costs of goods and groceries.

You have to factor in the savings too and no more cashiers or waiting in long lines are huge savings. However, already electronic circuitry for things like RFID tags can be produced cheaply in a number of ways including printing them on plastic. That the cost will come down to pennies per tag is inevitable.

 

[sportage]

McDonalds cutting out the uneducated low wage worker will surely lead to more kids then choosing to enter medical school and law school. Ya think?
Or.... maybe McDonalds cutting work the force will lead to more home invasions, car break-ins and shop lifting.
What's next? The Wal-Mart greeting android?
And republicans want to stop abortion.... hmmmmm

 

[dawp]

The Walmart near me had them, but only for a short time. My guess was theft was waaaay too easy.

But over here Home Depot and grocery stores have them.

Fern

they had the self checkouts at the one literally down the street from me and after they were removed I asked why and the cashier stated that it was because of theft. and considering the kind of people that shop at walmart it was extremely stupid to think it would work for them.

 

[dawp]

there are some things I prefer to pay cash for and Fast food is one of them. if forced to use a credit card, I will go elsewhere. and I really don't go to McDonald's much anyways.

The new terminals will also phase out cash as an accepted payment method, as the machines will only take credit and debit cards. No word yet on whether McDonald's in the United States will be next in line to replace cashiers with computers, but the addition doesn't seem to be part of the ongoing $1-billion makeover of the company's U.S. restaurants.

 

[zephyrprime]

The Walmart near me had them, but only for a short time. My guess was theft was waaaay too easy.

But over here Home Depot and grocery stores have them.

Fern

We have them at every walmart I've even been to in Minnesota.