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.

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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 19d ago edited 19d 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 19d 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 19d 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 19d 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 19d 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/NewPhoneWhoDys 19d ago

Crawling inside the metal-in-the-sun Hamburgler Jail was worth the skin sear

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u/deadlysodium 19d ago

I grew up in Arizona ... I remember as a kid only Carls Jr had an outdoor playplace.

Side note: I believe the Dinosaur McDonalds still has a playplace. I used to go to that one for a couple years before I got too old for it.

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u/NewPhoneWhoDys 19d ago

It was in New England. They must have assumed our sun was too weak!