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 ...
not really. The people on kiosk duty are tasked with showing the customers that the kiosks actually exist. Thety do infact offer assistance but the kiosks are straight forward and require no significant assistaance.
Regular customers will take to the kiosks because of time saved. More lunch time can be used eating than standing in line.
Germs are everywhere. The "hand sanitizers" that are popping up everywhere are about as effective as raking the leaves off your lawn during a hurricane.
Our immune systems are working incredibly hard all day long - our bodies are battlegrounds and every day is D-Day for germs. Even if you never step foot into a McDonalds.
In Ole Blighty I love grabbing Cornish Pasties. Or even the Burger Kings are better... perhaps it’s got something to do with the franchise ownerS?
Never saw one at MacDonald's.
I saw them in a Florida MacDonalds a few days ago.
I saw them in a Florida MacDonalds a few days ago.
What a fascinating post. You should publish it somewhere. Of course, the Leftist state and school system teaches that permanent aggrieved dependency is the highest form of evolution and that only chumps will actually work, so there needs to be a preschool before your school.
>> Wrong,ever go to a drive up ATM?
No , but I have walked up to a drive through window. They won’t serve you, even when the inside is closed for the night.
I can say “ham and Swiss on rye” faster than you can fondle your touch screen.
Simple enough. If you're like me, you forget your pencil, have to walk back to the truck, stand there a couple of minutes wondering WTH did I come back to my truck...a vicious cycle ensues.
That should be relatively easy to do at a McD’s — at a Sbuway I think it would be more difficult and very very difficult at gourmet restaurants
Actually what I think is going on here is that McDonalds has switched from frozen to fresh beef patties to better compete with chains like Five Guys and Wendy’s. Their premium burgers are now cooked to order.
That requires more labor at the grill. Not wanting the labor cost line on their P&L to change, nor long wait times for customers, they are shifting man-hours away from the counter and back to the grill.
Well, I'm in a steady fight with cancer so excuse my germaphobia. That aside, who doesn't relish having someones (3rd world) rugrat juice on their hands before they chow down?
With Chick Fil A, you never have to worry if a sullen food preparer has washed their hands or has spit in your food. I will always favor them over any other fast food enterprise. Plus, they make really great food!
Part of the sound degradation is because, no matter where you are in the US, your MacD drive-in order is taken by a person at a call desk in Chicago. The employees process the order and hand you your food.
I imagine it helps prevent in-store theft and keeps an eye on cash flow in real time. And fewer employees need to understand English.
it’s temporary. In Warszawa we had these folks just the first month and since then no. And the queues at the kioks have shortened considerably. Now the bottleneck is the preparation. THAT will be automated soon
In Poland many are smiling faces
I haven’t received a meal at McDonanld’s inside 10 minutes in over a year.
I can’t believe that I’m frequently given a number to put on my table and they bring food to me.
So, why am I going to Mickey D’s more now than forever ago? Uncle that always gets assigned happy meal duty.
They can’t even get happy meals out on demand.
that makes sense. And they can pay the cooks more
Yet, everytime a foodworker takes your payment and then hands you the order has touched hundreds of ick throughout the day.
Everytime you touch the handle of a grocery cart is the same. Then you put your fresh produce right were a poopy diapered kid just sat.
Then there’s your butt on a public toilet seat and getting in an out of a public restroom without any ickies on you or your clothing is impossible.
Borrow Hellary’s bleach cloth to wipe the kiosk screen clean.
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