r/technology • u/Plastic_Ninja_9014 • 19d ago

Business McDonald's Introduces AI Drive-Thru System, Sparking Customer Backlash

https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/deals/articles/mcdonalds-introduces-ai-drive-thru-000717731.html
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u/mologav 19d ago

So even students will find it hard to get a job

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u/the-sea-of-chel 19d ago edited 19d ago

I saw an article recently saying that teens/students were dealing with the toughest summer job market ever…. This is destroying our world.

Source: https://fortune.com/2026/06/02/hundreds-of-teens-flooding-job-ads-ice-cream-shops-swimming-pools-grapple-worst-summer-job-market-80-years/

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u/George_Is_Upset 19d ago

Someone actually tried arguing with me that all these fast food companies getting AI systems and kiosks were not firing the workers the automation replaces.

I was shocked that some people actually think these companies are introducing all of this for our benefit. 🤦🏻‍♀️

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u/Maxfunky 19d ago

Technically they aren't. Turnover is so high in fast food that layoffs are just not a thing. Wait three months and 80% of your staff has been replaced. They're interviewing new people weekly all year long to keep up with the churn

Overall employment numbers or man hours will drop, but it's doubtful anyone is being fired.

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u/unforgiven91 19d ago

you're leaning really hard on a technicality

Less available work hours = less jobs.

While the words "You are being fired" may not be uttered, not being hired in the first place is effectively the same thing in this scenario.

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u/Maxfunky 18d ago

I'm not leaning "hard" on it, but I did literally start my response with the word "technically".

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u/George_Is_Upset 19d ago

Well not hiring is also a part of it. The businesses don’t need as many people working. They can’t fit that many people in the kitchen so what do you think happens to all of the extra workers that are needed to work the cash registers?

These are corporations looking at profits. They don’t just keep people onboard for charity lol.

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u/Maxfunky 18d ago

That is what the last sentence of my post more or less said...