McDonald's is rolling out self-service kiosks. Adios, cashiers ?

McDonald's is rolling out self-service kiosks in restaurants across the US that allow customers to order and pay for their food without ever having to interact with a human.

"At least half of the operators in my region are on the verge of collapse," one franchisee wrote in response to a recent survey by former Janney Capital Markets analyst Mark Kalinowski. "With minimum wage for fast food workers potentially increasing to incredibly high levels, we are facing a crisis situation."

Another franchisee wrote, "We are in uncharted waters. The minimum wage issue is a major threat to the survival of the operator community." The franchisee said McDonald's should be "putting every resource available" into finding labor savings, through technologies such as kiosks and automatic fry dispensers.

The price increases needed to offset any added labor costs "would cause a complete collapse in guest counts," the franchisee added. "I see no other options but the company paying to keep operators alive until they figure out how to reduce labor required by 30%."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mcdonalds-shoots-down-fears-planning-202513285.html

My take - From a profit standpoint, it makes sense. I do feel bad for potential cashiers, but technology is going to do it's thing. While I'm all about higher pay for retail and fast food employees, I don't want to prevent companies from taking advantage of cost saving technology.

 

Where is the phone app for this?

 

And if minimum wage is increased to $15 an hour like some think it should be, the rate at which this happens will increase exponentially. <Rule 3>

 

I'm sure a good number of liberals know it would happen. Not all of them want to pretend that there aren't any consequences to actions taken. I tell anyone who will listen to learn to install and fix the technology that is turning this world autonomous

 

This was going to happen independent of the minimum wage. Stop pretending otherwise. I'm not sure I'm going to tell much difference, personality-wise, between these kiosks and a disinterested 16 yr old.

 

Who is pretending this wouldn't happen anyway? Do you not think dramatically increasing he minimum wage won't cause this to roll out much quicker?

 

This will spell the end for McDonalds. People like to serve by humans with a friendly smile not by machines!

 

Lol. I guess ATMs are doomed as well then huh, since people only want to be served by other humans, not machines.

 

Nobody is going to McDonald's for the customer interaction.

 

The reality is that over the upcoming decades, technology is going to eliminate a LOT of jobs. Perhaps, eventually, even most of them. When self-driving cars become mainstream, everyone who drives for a living becomes obsolete. When robot technology advances sufficiently that they look, walk, and talk exactly like us, waitresses and waiters (amongst many others) become obsolete. When nanotech is able to diagnose and treat 99% of human health conditions with nothing more than an IV injection, many healthcare workers become obsolete. I'm not suggesting these things will happen tomorrow, but they WILL happen, which will radically reduce the need for human labor. It's something we need to be aware of, and plan for, because if we cut the requirements of human labor by 90%, that's going to require large changes to our society.

 

<Reply to deleted> Its like the self checkout at home depot...i can check myself out faster than the people they hired the only reason I dont is to keep them employed plus Im already buying stuff there why should I have to work there for free?

 

Which is why ATM's, self service pumps, direct dial phone service, and automatic elevators never caught on?




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But they'd have to have smiles and besides the machines will get the orders right.

 

Have you been to a mcdonalds? The last time I was there the guy was pushing the coffee filter in with his wet tattered bandaid finger. I prefer my coffee without old bandaid flavor. I couldnt care less if hes smiling while doing it.

 

I don't think this is right might just leave MacDonald's for good.

 

homeless bums like atms to they hang out next to them in citys and panhandle everyone that takes out cash, oh and the bankers dont care at all aboutus being harassed its called globalism.

 

But if your city enforced the law, the bums wouldn't be there would they? Nobody ever said every ATM came attached to a bum.

 

I think this was rolling out on a timeline independent of minimum wage increases, which are being phased in slowly.

 

Yup globalism sucks so does these machines that cut our jobs so the company can save a buck.

 

You have a habit of posting some pretty random points

 

min wage increase just accelerates it. Look at a guy who owns 3 or 4 chain restaurants. He/she needs managers who tend to get a benefits package. The ACA has driven up those costs so the owner must look to cut costs elsewhere. His suppliers also are raising prices to him but the consumer, thanks to the Obama policies, has less cash and can't absorb price increases. It becomes an unconditional loop which won't stop until you pull back govt mandates, not impose more.

 

Spare me the crocodile tears:

Yepper - a whole bank account busting $.17 more for a Big Mac. Kinda sets your hair on fire, doesn't it?

 

but look on the bright side of this..video games will be a big seller because these kids will be staying home with mommy and daddy until they are 30 something now..facebook will have more revenue from ad sales because will be home doing nothing but sucking off their parents...

 

Wrong, you used to have jobs but libs legislated them out of existence.

 

Self checkouts are also beginning to make a comeback in supermarkets and hardware stores. And many tasks in automobile assembly plants are now accomplished by robots. It happens when the cost of unskilled labor rises to nonsensical heights.