Data released from the annual market researcher SeeLevel HX reported that the average McDonald’s drive-thru speed was 6 minutes and 18 seconds in 2019. In 2020 the fast food giant shaved their time down to an average of 5 minutes and 49 seconds. McDonald’s, and other chains, are seeking to cut this time down even further.
Because of the lockdowns and restrictions placed on restaurants to social distance or outright eliminate indoor dining, fast food restaurants were able to flourish as more people went to grab their food on the go while abiding by the guidelines. Other restaurant chains that were not known for having drive-thrus quickly adapted and added to some locations.
Technology is changing the experience, and I think it got thrust into hyper-overdrive by the pandemic.
Lisa van Kesteren. CEO and founder of SeeLevel HX
With roughly 14,000 McDonald’s locations across the U.S., almost 95% have a drive-thru.
According to CNN Business, Over the last few years, McDonald’s also deployed new technology in an aim to modernize its operations and entice customers to order more food. In some locations, it tested artificial intelligence devices that scan license plates (with customers’ permission) to predict orders, and it enabled mobile orders that customers can pick up at the drive-thru window. The company tapped into the technology from two AI startups it bought in 2019: Apprente, which built voice technology for fast-food order taking, and Dynamic Yield, which can customize the ordering experience on digital menu boards.
Humans sometimes forget to greet people, they forget, they make mistakes, they don’t hear as well. A machine can actually have a consistent greeting and remain calm under pressure.
We’re really looking systematically at that customer experience and thinking, ‘Where can technology make this better and easier and faster?’
Lucy Brady. McDonald’s chief digital customer engagement officer
White Castle is also looking to expand its drive-thru experience. 95% of their 362 restaurants also have a drive-thru.
In November of last year, the chain tested out its own automated ordering system at a White Castle located in Merrillville, Indiana – the same location that already has a burger-grilling robot from Miso Robotics.
White Castle’s vice president of marketing and public relations Jamie Richardson, stated that the AI voice system is connected to a digital menu board, can take food orders, and make order suggestions. Overtime it will also consider the weather and time of day.
The fast-food chain will also be using a camera that scans license plates to personalize and remember orders from the previous visit. User’s will have to give consent to the company to share the plate number through their loyalty app, Craver Nation.
The thought is to make sure that it’s friendly. ‘They remember me, they know who I am’.
Jamie Richardson
The CNN Business report also notes that the drive-thru at Fair Oaks Burger, a family-owned establishment in Altadena, California, which uses facial recognition allowing customers to not have to pay with cash or credit card. The report says this may speed up sales and allow the restaurant to sell more meals.
‘Users have to sign up in advance via smartphone with a selfie and a credit card. Then, after they order, they can say they want to use PopPay; a camera will take a photo so their identity can be confirmed and money deducted from their account.’
CNN Business also reports that PopPay evolved from PopID – which The WinePress reported on and explained how that system worked – notes that PopPay has been picked up by many other locations in Pasadena and West Los Angeles areas of California.
Young people that have grown taking pictures of themselves all the time and posting them on the internet have no problem with facial recognition.
John Miller. Cali Group CEO
Miller additionally added it is cheaper for restaurants to utilize because the restaurants will not have to pay credit-card processing fees for each order.
Van Kesteren cautioned, however, that this may caused older generations to be “creeped out.”
The reports also notes that the CEO’s of these chains said it will take some time to get used to the new technology, and tweak and adjust them along the way.
Richardson also does not feel these new technologies will replace employees jobs, but rather the employees will be repositioned for other tasks.
What we’ve seen over the years is when we bring technology in it doesn’t replace jobs; it really helps you raise the bar on your hospitality and customer focus. Our expectation is jobs would remain at the same level, but it would change some of the work and make it easier to some degree.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
I say Richardson is full of it. Those jobs will be gone! If we have robots already flipping burgers, as mentioned in the report, then those jobs will quickly be replaced at some point on a large scale by these droids. We already have autonomous carpet/floor cleaners: just scale those up and then you have the dining area covered. We are still some years away from this, but places like McDonalds, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Burger King, and many more will be completely run on AI and robots.
[16] And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: [17] And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. [18] Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.Revelation 13:16-18
As we have been noting in similar reports, this has mark of the beast written all over it. Getting people used to the idea buying things with just your face or a hand swipe is conditioning the masses to love and accept this technology. As we have said repeatedly, and will continue to do so; Covid-19 has nothing to do with a virus but to accomplish seemingly everything else, primarily, getting the mark of the beast and antichrist systems set up.
We noted in our report why Sweden did not lockdown is that the propaganda tactics shifted from not just paper money carrying diseases, but credit cards too – displaying the benefits and joys of being chipped.
I do not eat at fast food, or even the majority of these full-service joints for that matter, nor does The WinePress endorse doing so; but the broad masses will continue to accept these changes. Because of this, I believe the new emphasized propaganda tactics by the media will be to endlessly promote the benefits of facial recognition, autonomous services, and biometrics as the world currencies die. They are doing this already, but I am talking going into overdrive mode when the Covid hysteria fades out eventually.
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Sounds like some Asian places via Face-Pay / hand-pay / Etc.