Is there any backlash to McDonald's going partially automated?

Looks like fun, but am worried that it was a way to avoid paying a suggested minimum wage of $15/hour.

@RedDeerGuy1: My guess is that the feature outlined in your article are launching on a very limited basis (as I have not yet heard about that in my area). Even so, it says “delivered to your table.” They’d still have to pay people to cook it and still have to have counter staff, as not everyone wants to order “build your own burger.”

Personally, I don’t consider that automation. The kiosk only allows you to build a Gourmet Burger. I’m guessing that from there you have to go to an order station to complete your order?

Even if not, assembling a custom burger is much more labor intensive than cranking out McPucks. And, as @jca points out, it’s delivered to your table.

I have heard of no such backlash. To me it just sounds like a rather elaborate way of ripping of Burger Kings “have it your way”. Where BK pretty much let you build your own burger because you can have whatever you want on it.

But then again, the only thing I ever consume from McDonalds is the coffee.

That’s not an automated restaurant as much as it is an automated ordering system. You still have to have it cooked by people, constructed by people, and you have to pay for it and get it from someone.

One of the efficiencies of McDonalds is that they know how much of each product to have on hand at any point intake during the day. McDonalds does not cook to order; they anticipate what they will sell, and they have been doing it for so long they are very accurate.

And, it is only in Canada.

I don’t patronize McD’s so I couldn’t care less. But your question does bring back pleasant memories of my early days in NYC as a newman grabbing a quick lunch at the famous Horn and Hardart Automats. They’re long gone now.

By the way, I’m not as old as this vintage H&H video might make you think. ;-)

@Pachy I loved going to the automat near what is now the Ed Sullivan Theater when I went to see Carole Burnett and To Tell The Truth being filmed.

Minimum Wager

@zenvelo, nice !!

Just like the infuriating self service checkouts on grocery stores such kiosks represent the death of customer service.

Another of civil society’s benchmarks fades away. Customer service.

And you all have no one but yourselves to blame:

Every time you don’t honor a restaurant reservation, or even have the decency to cancel or call to say you’ll be late.

Every time you make a complaint by being a bitch instead of trying to work things out like two professional adults.

Every time you fail to tip or under tip.

Every time you call your bartender’s ability into question by saying something stupid like “make it strong.”

Every time you yammer away on your phone about your stupid cat when a server is trying to announce the specials.

It seems hotels are becoming the last holdout for true service.

Sad.

Every time you make a complaint by being a bitch instead of trying to work things out like two professional adults Sometimes things need to be brought to a higher level, or maybe to someone’s boss for their inappropriate behavior. Not saying customers are never wrong, not saying customers are never inappropriate, but some things need to be brought to another’s attention. Some policies maybe need to be reevaluated and someone on the bottom rung might not be the correct place to do so.

“Make it strong,” just means “Put more alcohol in than you usually do.” How is that questioning the bartender’s ability?

I love the self service check-outs, hate the users.

Used properly, they encourage better customer service by removing the low-volume, impatient shoppers from the service chain.
When I need customer service – like if I’m going to ask for a price-match – I just use the regular check-out.

Amazingly enough, I’ve had the service person at the self-check try to force me to self-check, when I had 6–8 items that needed customer service. Coupons, produce, and price-match.

@NerdyKeith Burger King simply advertises “Have it your way.” You can actually order a burger any way you want, everywhere.