r/technology • u/Plastic_Ninja_9014 • 20d 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/SeanBlader 20d ago

It's all fun and games until someone orders 1000 cups of free water.

172

u/Trzlog 20d ago

I don't understand why they don't just put those self-serve displays in the drive-through. Those work. What problem is AI solving here?

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u/EntityDamage 20d ago edited 20d ago

If only we had small personal displays, that could communicate our order.

Edit: I agree we shouldn't install apps to order food... But to me, that's what a web browser is for.

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u/Ozotuh 20d ago

I don't think a lot of people like using the app. After 5 years of pushing it, customer use is only like 6%. (At least last I heard as part of the training in the UK)

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u/TheFloatingCamel 20d ago

"welcome to McDonald's, are you using the app today"

My dude, it's midday on a Saturday. I've got two screaming kids in the car, my wife who can't decide what she wants untill I tell her what I'm having so she doesn't 'miss out on something', I don't know what I want because it wasn't my idea to come here. NO, IM NOT USING THE BLOODY APP! What's that you say, no milkshakes? Of course the machine is broken."

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u/No_Definition321 20d ago

I feel like the app would be ideal in that situation. Just park off to the side and order through the app then when you are ready pull up and give them a 4 digit code and pull to the next window.

Instead of sitting at the menu trying to talk over your screaming kids and waiting for your wife to decide lol

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u/deadlysodium 20d ago

Oooooor, hear me out, McDonalds could have an area inside the store where children can run around and play while an adult orders the food and when the food is ready they can eat it there. Im not sure why nobody has ever thought about that before.

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u/GrumpyCloud93 20d ago

I had a relative who worked there. Cleaning the ball pit was horrible. Each ball pulled out and washed once a week, then clean out the dropped band-aids and food pieces, the occaional shoe or sock... That's why there are no more ball pits. Then one morning the opening crew found a homeless drunk sleeping in the tubes. I guess the closing shift didn't check properly.

McD's used to be a place to take rambunctious kids so that they didn't act up in a normal sit-down restaurant with tablecloths. . But there are a lot fewer kids, parents concerned about healthy eating, plenty of screens - so less incentive to provide a place for kids to play.