They can't take orders, but they can take money

applecruncher

applecruncher

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Location
Ohio USA
Yesterday I stopped at Walgreens, and decided to go next door to grab something from McDonald's. Heard there was a special on fish filet sandwiches. (Yeah, I know....but I like them and I didn't know what to make for dinner.)

Awhile back I went in to get some coffee and noticed the big kiosks were being installed in the lobby. So I go inside and approached the register. A girl said "Sorry ma'am, I can't take your order. You have to use the (kiosk)" (I forget what she called it.)

:wtf:

There were 2 kiosks, a line, and people kinda frowning and grumbling. One person was rolling his eyes but laughing. I said something to the effect that they were getting as bad as Kroger with the self-serve thing.......a woman who had just used the board offered to help since this was my first time.....then a McD employee came to the rescue. She was very nice, and we got thru it. I took out a $10 bill and she told me to go to the register. Huh? :confused:

So I take my ticket to the register and pay. I said "So you can't take orders, but you can take money." She shrugged. I then made it clear I was not blaming the employees.....I know this is something management instituted.

<Sigh> I'm all for technology (otherwise I wouldn't be using this computer). But I just don't like the idea of stores making customers do what employees used to do and the "Oh, well, it's just something new, they'll get used to it" attitude.

I read something about McD having a table service system, but I don't know what that's about.
 

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From what I have read this is not working out. Orders are coming slower than before and customers are mad because it is supposed to be fast food.
 

applecruncher said:

I was reading up on the subject, and supposedly McD's is "rolling out" this system at ALL their restaurants.

​
https://www.thestreet.com/story/144...erve-kiosks-too-bad-they-re-here-to-stay.html

I've seen people leave their cart and walk out of Kroger, bet the same thing happens at McD. But, according to what I read the system boosts sales. ​
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It may not happen but it sounds like they would lose more business than they gain. I know they would lose mine.
 
Yes, this only affects the inside AFAIK. But sometimes when drive thru lanes are really busy (or slow moving) people park and go inside.
 
That is the strangest thing I've ever heard of ! Why can' t they just do it the normal way ? !!! We have the drink Kiosks in our McD's. It never fails , I get behind some kid who wants one drop of 10 different flavors in their cup and it takes forever. Fast food is getting slower and slower .

PS --- I like the fish,too.
 
Toomuchstuff said:
That is the strangest thing I've ever heard of ! Why can' t they just do it the normal way ? !!! We have the drink Kiosks in our McD's. It never fails , I get behind some kid who wants one drop of 10 different flavors in their cup and it takes forever. Fast food is getting slower and slower .

PS --- I like the fish,too.
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It's decent, I get it with NO cheese, which of course makes it more complicated and takes longer.

I've never used a drink kiosk....OH! You mean the machines where you hold your cup and push against a little bar. Yeah.

I haven't been to other fast food places lately....I don't know if Wendy's, Burger King, etc. are going the same route.
 
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I rarely go to fast food places at all anymore, but if I had to order at a kiosk and wait in line, then go back to the counter and pay someone, they'd lose my business too. I'm surprised that at least they don't take your cash or credit card payment at the kiosk, kind of like self serve checkouts in supermarkets. That would make it slightly better, but I usually go to live cashiers, unless I have one item, cash on hand and am in a hurry, which is rare.

I agree that fast food has to be fast, so somebody on their 1/2 hour lunch break can buy something and have time to eat it.
 
The last time I went to McD's they had just completed construction on an additional lane for the drive thru. WHAT?

The 2nd lane places their order and pulls over into a numbered parking space sends a text msg to the # associated with the parking space and the employee brings out the food and collects the money.
 
I'm glad that I'm able to cook more and more of my own food.

Once in a while though, you want to grab something quick to take home, and now it's becoming a hassle.

I walked out with my little bag and shook my head...... thinking "wow". :rolleyes:
 
Humans are being obsoleted by technology and add to this the number of people that will be on Soc. Sec. in 10-15 years and ask how does Soc. Sec. find money if robots are doing the work?
 
Actually if you think about it you could probably make a cheeseburger at home in the same amount of time if you had the frozen patties in the freezer ready to zap in the micro. They do have the Big Mac Sauce in the grocery stores now.

By the time you park, walk in, place your order, wait to pay, walk back to the car, drive home and by that time the food is cooling off.
 
Mizzkitt said:
Actually if you think about it you could probably make a cheeseburger at home in the same amount of time if you had the frozen patties in the freezer ready to zap in the micro. They do have the Big Mac Sauce in the grocery stores now.

By the time you park, walk in, place your order, wait to pay, walk back to the car, drive home and by that time the food is cooling off.
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Excellent point!

Just go home, pop a slice of bread in the toaster and scramble an egg.
 
Mizzkitt said:
Actually if you think about it you could probably make a cheeseburger at home in the same amount of time if you had the frozen patties in the freezer ready to zap in the micro. They do have the Big Mac Sauce in the grocery stores now.

By the time you park, walk in, place your order, wait to pay, walk back to the car, drive home and by that time the food is cooling off.
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I buy Angus Burgers at Sam's, micro for 2 minutes...
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fmdog44 said:
Humans are being obsoleted by technology and add to this the number of people that will be on Soc. Sec. in 10-15 years and ask how does Soc. Sec. find money if robots are doing the work?
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For sure! As automation and robotics take over more and more jobs, AND populations continue to soar, it doesn't take a genius to see that the future is going to present some huge problems.
 
These are the drink machines in our McD's. They're touch screen .... there's about 5 different screens with all sorts of combinations , Get a kid in front of you .... and you might as well go home. drinks.jpg
 
I'm going to interface with a human or I'm not giving them my business. Sonic is another one that insists you talk to the little metal box. Been there ONCE, that was enough for me. Wally World (Walmart) has installed a ton of self checkout stations at our local store, I-won't-use-them. Want my money, provide a human to take it. Kiosks may be the future but they'll just have to put up with this old phart for a few more years. The millennials can Kiosk away. I LOVE Mickey D's fish filet, but one just isn't quite enough. For a while, they had a promotion offering a double fish filet, it was perfect but it was for a limited time (sigh), so I order 2, take the fish from one, add it to the other and voila, I have my double :cool:.
 
Macfan said:
I'm going to interface with a human or I'm not giving them my business. Sonic is another one that insists you talk to the little metal box. Been there ONCE, that was enough for me. Wally World (Walmart) has installed a ton of self checkout stations at our local store, I-won't-use-them. Want my money, provide a human to take it. Kiosks may be the future but they'll just have to put up with this old phart for a few more years. The millennials can Kiosk away. I LOVE Mickey D's fish filet, but one just isn't quite enough. For a while, they had a promotion offering a double fish filet, it was perfect but it was for a limited time (sigh), so I order 2, take the fish from one, add it to the other and voila, I have my double :cool:.
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They have a 2 fish filet sandwiches for $4 promo right now. (not double, just the regular single)

Now that I think about it, the reason I was told to go the counter register and pay might have been because I had cash. Not sure, but maybe the kiosk took credit/debit. Although the kiosk wasn't difficult, there seemed to be a lot of steps and if you make a mistake or change your mind or want something custom made like no cheese on the fish filet, well, that complicates things.

I only use self serve lane at Kroger if there is not a long line and I only have a couple items and no produce. I still don't like them. :mad: Haven't used it at WalMart.

@TooMuchStuff:

Oh, I see. No, I don't think McD had those drink kiosks. But I didn't look because I didn't get a drink.
 
Thanks for the heads up on the current fish filet promotion, applecruncher! Get 2, rearrange contents, have double :cool:. Note to self, don't forget fries, one simply must have fries lol.
 

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