All the McD*nalds in my area have been upgraded with order kiosks. Regardless of all the controversy around self-checkout, and minimum wage, and automation taking our jobs, I personally love them. I can take my sweet time composing my order, I can see the full selection (such as it is), I can see pictures and prices clearly without having to strain my eyes to read 12pt font on the tableau, and I don’t have to shout at the cashier to be understood or struggle to hear back. I really believe this is the right way forward.

My only complaint so far has been that the order kiosks only accept card. There is actually a way to pay by cash that the machine never lets you know about - you have to press “cancel” on the keypad when it asks to insert card, and then the screen gives you an order number to give to the human cashier (each store still has one register open) so you can pay in cash. So I still have to wait on line, but at least my order selection is locked in, I can have exact change ready, and there isn’t usually a line anyway anymore.

I know all yall Europeans are proud about your nearly total transition to cashless economy or whatever, and you like to boast how not a single euro banknote has graced the inside of your wallet in months. However I personally like cash, and I genuinely believe that a cash payment system is a necessary element of a liberal democracy and secure society. So at least understand my pleasant surprise when I saw these reverse-ATM cashboxes at this restaurant. They work and were being actively used too! (It spat out my dollar coins though, those bastards!) I hope they find their way into more places.

  • @CaptPretentious
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    31 year ago

    It really depends what you’re regularly ordering, how busy it is, what modifications you made, and location.

    Like say, you wanted a quarter pounder but you wanted the dehydrated onions instead of slivered. Good chance that gets messed up. Ketchup no mustard (or vice versa), also a good chance it gets messed up (due to muscle memory).

    • qyron
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      fedilink
      11 year ago

      What?!

      We don’t get that here. Ketchup comes on packets on the side and your sandwhich either comes with or without sauce. No mustard.

      Dehydrated onions sound nice but not in a McD.

      Less choice, better service, I’ll risk.

      • JokeDeity
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        11 year ago

        What country? The more you say the less it sounds like you’re talking about an American McDonald’s.

          • @CaptPretentious
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            21 year ago

            If you’ve regularly had great experience… never ever have McD’s in the USA.

            Dehydrated onions are the onions they use (at least in the US) for like cheeseburgers, hamburgers, and Big Macs.

            • qyron
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              fedilink
              21 year ago

              Come over and taste ours.

              Fresh onions, tomato and iceberg salad on almost every burger. Too much pickles, unfortunately.

              But I would be a very poor host if I was to receive you in my country and treat you with McD. That is food you get to break the norm, not something you have daily, unless you are planning for a premature demise of your tasting buds.

              And high cholesterol.

              • @CaptPretentious
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                21 year ago

                Too much pickles, unfortunately.

                Over here, you’d think there’s a damn pickle shortage. You get 2 or 3 of the saddest pickles you ever saw.

                • qyron
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                  21 year ago

                  Last time I had one, at some point I stopped to check where the pickle ended and the patty began. It was really hidden in there.