"Do you want fries with that? You have 10 seconds to reply... You have 9 seconds to reply..."
-PJ
Posted on 11/10/2021 12:01:21 PM PST by be-baw
You know the way the world is going because you're happy it's happening.
Out with the old ways of doing things -- going to work at an office, for example -- and in with doing your own thing. All the time, anywhere.
I sense McDonald's understands this.
It seems to have realized that people coming to work at its restaurants, greeting you as they take your order at the drive-thru and then quickly cooking your food is an outmoded concept.
Instead, how about machines doing it all faster than humans ever could?
Well, here's a little announcement the global burger chain made last week. McDonald's is now getting together with a very, very famous name in tech in order to make the drive-thru more robotic and therefore more crowd-pleasing.
You may remember that McDonald's was testing robot order-taking at its drive-thru in Chicago earlier this year.
A customer experience video showed how glorious it is to be greeted by one of Siri's many cousins. You could tell she was really, um, loving it.
This was just an experiment, right? They couldn't possibly be serious. Could they?
Well, now McDonald's seems ready to expand this test to further-flung parts of our great nation. Ray, the old ways are just a load of Kroc these days.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention the very famous tech name with which McDonald's will now partner.
It's IBM.
Yes, the IBM at which a Steve Jobs emissary once threw a large hammer in a famous ad. The IBM that used to be called Big Blue and now seems to be Big Intimidator of Little Companies.
Well, McDonald's has just sold IBM its McD Tech Labs -- the engineers that are formerly known as Apprente -- so that IBM can take on the robot-driven drive-thru dream.
As CNBC reported, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski is delighted with how the robot-ordering drive-thru tests have gone. They apparently benefited customers and the remaining staff who still come to work at McDonald's.
Kempczinski offered: "In my mind, IBM is the ideal partner for McDonald's, given their expertise in building AI-powered customer care solutions and voice recognition." He added that the work now required is "beyond the scale of our core competencies."
Did you ever think your burger would come courtesy of IBM's Watson and friends? Of course you did. You've dreamed about this moment. The robots will never get it wrong. The robots will always be quicker. And the robots will enhance your emotional relationship with the brand.
That's what AI does. It strives for perfection so that you can offer it uncontrolled love.
Who needs a personal relationship when you can get your Big Mac thirty seconds faster?
Ultimately, of course McDonald's is making a wise business decision. If speed is what's required, the robots will surely provide it. Even if many of them still don't always grasp such nuances as an accent. (Don't worry, IBM is working on that.)
And it isn't just about speed. Just think of how much more personal data may be collected as the AI begins to learn who you are and what you really, really like.
But please don't worry about that. The companies insist: "IBM and McDonald's are both committed to adopting AI responsibly by embedding ethical principles into AI applications and processes to build systems based on trust and transparency."
Having seen the AI ordering in action, I'm still not sure how tolerant I'll be of its essential inhumanity.
But perhaps the people I feel most sorry for are the employees of McD Tech Labs. Now they'll be working for the IBM Cloud & Cognitive Software division.
It doesn't sound quite as cool, does it?
True, but now they might be spit deficient...
Hmmm...
For a moment, until reading further, I thought that McDonalds had decided to use actual beef in its hamburgers...
“Would you like EXTRA BIG ASS FRIES?”
Their burgers will taste even more like 96-column cards.
Speaking of witch, who will break up the BT-1000 fights in the restaurant?
At the two McDonald's here, whenever I did order a 1/4 pounder and fries, or two hamburgers and fries...neither of them special orders, I always had to pull up and wait for the food. So what's the difference if I wait for their burgers and fries, or wait for a breakfast sandwich? I will never buy anything from them ever again.
For sure!!
Their crap is pure poison, anyway.
No further adjectives than southern woman required. Although southern lady might better describe the experience. Although, although the 'southern' part might well cover that base...
"Do you want fries with that? You have 10 seconds to reply... You have 9 seconds to reply..."
-PJ
Higher quality food and not highway robbery prices?
[just TRY to ask to hold the pickles and hold the lettuce ....]
That’ll get you some ebonic sass and some spit and hair in your meal...
That's nuts. I stopped using their online ordering, because their website won't process gift cards for me on either Safari, or Firefox. We have one Domino's here, so I call my order in every time. The guy told me it's better to call in to find out what their specials are, because they're not always the same as online. So whenever I want to redeem a gift card, I call the order in, and give him the card info verbally. You should write or call Domino's customer service and complain. Domino's has a phone app too, but I don't use apps on my iPhone for anything. I don't want that crap on my phone.
Nope. 100% disagree.
Someone’s got a lil’ crush know it or not lol
About a month ago I started hearing extremely loud periodic drive-by scooter noises at all hours of the day. It didn't dawn on me what was going on until I saw the person in action. The driver had a huge cooler strapped to the back of the scooter. High tech still has to depend on low tech for last mile deliveries.
Nah... she’s just a sweet old soul who gives me joy every time I get a chance to speak with her.
Lotus Notes Will somehow endure.
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