Humans are becoming obsolete.

[el borracho]

I just took a trip through the drive-through at McDonald's. They now have a machine to pour the soda. There is a mechanical arm which grabs a cup and drops it into a cup-holder on a conveyer belt. The belt then rotates around until the empty cup is positioned beneath the correct soda spicket and the soda fills the cup. Even the ice is added by a machine which satisfies special orders such as "lite ice" or "no ice".

None of that is really all that interesting or impressive but it certainly isn't cheap to have a machine do something any human can easily do. So the question becomes, "Why would McDonald's spend money on something like this?" I think we can rule out, "To make their employees lives better" so it must be $ related. I would guess that they are making machines to fill every one of their menial positions so that they won't need any humans at all in a few years. It's going to be like a cross between the auto checkout lines at Walmart and a snack machine.

Or maybe I've just up too late and am thinking too much?

[Abba-Dabba]

Where have you been? Welcome to 1998. McDonalds has had those for years.

Sometimes I think I would rather have a machine prepare my order at a fast food place. Last thing I need is some teenager sticking their finger in my pop right after they picked their nose and scratched their ass. That's just me though.

[Smed1065]

I agree, had a 'friend' that worked captain D's in 1982 that spit his chew in the batter because it was the only spit-toon...

I doubt the machine chews.

[HMc]

which is crap cos if you go looking for a bit of teenaged ass they throw you in jail

[MichaelH]

I'd also rather have a machine make my food than a teenager. I just went through the drive thru at McDonalds. The order was correct but the sausage and egg biscuit looked like it had been shipped in from Europe. And I asked for two creams for the coffee. I was five miles away before I took my first sip of black coffee. I guess it serves me right for even frequenting such a craptastic place.

[Over-Head]

Originally Posted by el borracho

Or maybe I've just up too late and am thinking too much?

Your a Chiefs fan, this simply CAN'T be the problem

[Chiefs_Fan]

It's all about their attempt to improve customer service. The machine make the drinks while the employee checks to make sure your order is wrong.

[HMc]

Originally Posted by Chiefs_Fan

It's all about their attempt to improve customer service. The machine make the drinks while the employee checks to make sure your order is wrong.

rofl

[Bugeater]

I saw one of those at a Hardee's in OKC over ten years ago, but I've never seen one since then.

[kepp]

"I'm afraid I cannot allow you to get that soda, el borracho"

[StcChief]

Originally Posted by kepp

"I'm afraid I cannot allow you to get that soda, el borracho"

No there's a flashback.

[TrickyNicky]

There's also a little douche-nozzle on the robot arm that adds 50 CC's of human saliva to every soda. They want it to be authentic I suppose.

[Chiefs_Fan]

Originally Posted by TrickyNicky

There's also a little douche-nozzle on the robot arm that adds 50 CC's of human saliva to every soda. They want it to be authentic I suppose.

[Calcountry]

Originally Posted by el borracho

I just took a trip through the drive-through at McDonald's. They now have a machine to pour the soda. There is a mechanical arm which grabs a cup and drops it into a cup-holder on a conveyer belt. The belt then rotates around until the empty cup is positioned beneath the correct soda spicket and the soda fills the cup. Even the ice is added by a machine which satisfies special orders such as "lite ice" or "no ice".

None of that is really all that interesting or impressive but it certainly isn't cheap to have a machine do something any human can easily do. So the question becomes, "Why would McDonald's spend money on something like this?" I think we can rule out, "To make their employees lives better" so it must be $ related. I would guess that they are making machines to fill every one of their menial positions so that they won't need any humans at all in a few years. It's going to be like a cross between the auto checkout lines at Walmart and a snack machine.

Or maybe I've just up too late and am thinking too much?

Well, perhaps it has to do with the minimum wage going up to 7.50. Maybe, a machine will do its job and not complain about it, or call in sick, or piss off customers because they cannot subserviate themselves with a good attitude.

[Calcountry]

Originally Posted by MichaelH

I'd also rather have a machine make my food than a teenager. I just went through the drive thru at McDonalds. The order was correct but the sausage and egg biscuit looked like it had been shipped in from Europe. And I asked for two creams for the coffee. I was five miles away before I took my first sip of black coffee. I guess it serves me right for even frequenting such a craptastic place.

They never put cream in the Coffee.