• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a [W:391]

DA60

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
16,386
Reaction score
7,793
Location
Where I am now
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Independent
'If you’ve ever felt guilty ordering at McDonald’s, the fast-food mega-chain has just the fix: You can now order your own quarter-pound bacon cheeseburger from a welcoming, non-judging machine.

Battling the worst sales slump in a decade and competition from build-your-own upstarts like Chipotle and Smashburger, McDonald’s is expanding a test concept built around ordering via tablet. Just tap on a screen and watch as your burger’s toppings (and calories) pile on, then wait for an employee to bring it over. No human interaction necessary.

McDonald’s move towards dehumanization, launched as a pilot last winter and expanded across San Diego last week, is part of a larger trend of chain eateries turning tablets into your full-time restaurant buddy: equal parts menu, server and paycheck. Applebee’s, Panera Bread and even airport bars have installed tablets to allow diners to order food or booze without a wait.'


McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a machine - The Washington Post


This is what happens when - among other reasons - you start demanding higher pay then your position is worth (like fast food workers demanding $15/hr.).

If these fast food workers force Congress to adopt a $15/hr. minimum wage? I guarantee you that the above will be the result...automation and mass layoffs.

It ain't rocket science people - you are VERY replaceable.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

'If you’ve ever felt guilty ordering at McDonald’s, the fast-food mega-chain has just the fix: You can now order your own quarter-pound bacon cheeseburger from a welcoming, non-judging machine.

Battling the worst sales slump in a decade and competition from build-your-own upstarts like Chipotle and Smashburger, McDonald’s is expanding a test concept built around ordering via tablet. Just tap on a screen and watch as your burger’s toppings (and calories) pile on, then wait for an employee to bring it over. No human interaction necessary.

McDonald’s move towards dehumanization, launched as a pilot last winter and expanded across San Diego last week, is part of a larger trend of chain eateries turning tablets into your full-time restaurant buddy: equal parts menu, server and paycheck. Applebee’s, Panera Bread and even airport bars have installed tablets to allow diners to order food or booze without a wait.'


McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a machine - The Washington Post


This is what happens when - among other reasons - you start demanding higher pay then your position is worth (like fast food workers demanding $15/hr.).

If these fast food workers force Congress to adopt a $15/hr. minimum wage? I guarantee you that the above will be the result...automation and mass layoffs.

It ain't rocket science people - you are VERY replaceable.

I'm confused; what does ordering a burger on tablet have to do with minimum wage? This seems a bit of a stretch...
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

From a business standpoint this is a ridiculous move.

The reason McDonalds's sales are slumping is because they have an inferior product as compared to their competition. 5 Guys, In 'n' Out, and others offer a better burger at more or less the same price.

If McD's wants to get back their market share they need to go back to their roots and start offering a marginal burger really, really fast. For decades the whole reason people went to McD's is because by the time you finished ordering your meal was on the tray in front of you. Yeah, the burger had been sitting under a heat lamp for 10 minutes and it really wasn't that great but it was also 29 cents and in your hand damned near before you could blink. They don't need specialty burgers and coffee lounges. They just need clean restaurants and lickity split service with the same old mediocre burgers they've always had.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

How much more "mediocre" can their burgers get? They're already awful and make me sick.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

'If you’ve ever felt guilty ordering at McDonald’s, the fast-food mega-chain has just the fix: You can now order your own quarter-pound bacon cheeseburger from a welcoming, non-judging machine.

Battling the worst sales slump in a decade and competition from build-your-own upstarts like Chipotle and Smashburger, McDonald’s is expanding a test concept built around ordering via tablet. Just tap on a screen and watch as your burger’s toppings (and calories) pile on, then wait for an employee to bring it over. No human interaction necessary.

McDonald’s move towards dehumanization, launched as a pilot last winter and expanded across San Diego last week, is part of a larger trend of chain eateries turning tablets into your full-time restaurant buddy: equal parts menu, server and paycheck. Applebee’s, Panera Bread and even airport bars have installed tablets to allow diners to order food or booze without a wait.'


McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a machine - The Washington Post


This is what happens when - among other reasons - you start demanding higher pay then your position is worth (like fast food workers demanding $15/hr.).

If these fast food workers force Congress to adopt a $15/hr. minimum wage? I guarantee you that the above will be the result...automation and mass layoffs.

It ain't rocket science people - you are VERY replaceable.


I do like the idea of the tablet due to the fact people can misunderstand.I know there has been more than one occasion I ordered a unsweetened iced tea and got a sweet iced tea.I can see why restaurants would want these tablets. Waiters can't be everywhere at once and customers might order additional food and drinls if they do not have to wait for their waiter who is currently busy at another table. These companies make billions of dollars even after expenses.So they can afford to pay their employees a little more.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

'If you’ve ever felt guilty ordering at McDonald’s, the fast-food mega-chain has just the fix: You can now order your own quarter-pound bacon cheeseburger from a welcoming, non-judging machine.


... Have you been to a McDonald's as of late? There are usually 4-5 people working them even at peak hours. 1 on counter, 2-3 cooks, 1-2 people cleaning up the place. Just what exactly would McDondald's gain by firing the skinny girl at the front who earns 8.50 and then keeping on the rest of the staff at $15? Okay, so it's making a much needed improvement that seems reasonable and may be economically based. however to use this as an argument for why minimum wage is bad is kind of ridiculous. It's the 21st century, there isn't a single business out there who isn't looking for ways to one up the competition by incomporating tablets, cellphones and online ordering. This was bound to happen whether or not there was a minimum wage debate, just ask miners, autoworkers and the US steel industry. The non-existence of a minimum wage debate wouldn't have meant much to those who got laidoff by the inevitable introduction of computer software that doesn't need sleep or lunch breaks.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

From a business standpoint this is a ridiculous move.

The reason McDonalds's sales are slumping is because they have an inferior product as compared to their competition. 5 Guys, In 'n' Out, and others offer a better burger at more or less the same price.

If McD's wants to get back their market share they need to go back to their roots and start offering a marginal burger really, really fast. For decades the whole reason people went to McD's is because by the time you finished ordering your meal was on the tray in front of you. Yeah, the burger had been sitting under a heat lamp for 10 minutes and it really wasn't that great but it was also 29 cents and in your hand damned near before you could blink. They don't need specialty burgers and coffee lounges. They just need clean restaurants and lickity split service with the same old mediocre burgers they've always had.

They are already plenty fast. I went through a McD's drive through tonight and I had the food very fast.

What McD's needs - imo - is cheaper products. That is their edge.

So, every way that they can cut costs without hurting their service/product should be explored.


And as for personalized service? Who goes to McDonald's for the service (I am speaking in general her - not specifically towards you)? Virtually no one. They go for cheap, fast, passable food that tastes reasonably good. If their Big Mac is 25 cents cheaper because it is served by a robot - I guarantee you most people would take it over two bits more for the same burger from a human (assuming it is served as fast and tastes the same either way).
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

Interesting. I can see this being applied to all sorts of things in the future. Strangely brothels come to mind. Wouldn't that simplify some of those awkward moments. :thumbs:
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

I do like the idea of the tablet due to the fact people can misunderstand.I know there has been more than one occasion I ordered a unsweetened iced tea and got a sweet iced tea.I can see why restaurants would want these tablets. Waiters can't be everywhere at once and customers might order additional food and drinls if they do not have to wait for their waiter who is currently busy at another table. These companies make billions of dollars even after expenses.So they can afford to pay their employees a little more.

And if they have fewer of them, they'll be able to pay them more and not effect their bottom line. Really, this is a harbinger of things to come that aren't going to be pleasant for the uneducated and poorly educated among us. There was a time when a strong willing body was enough. We're fast approaching a time when that's not going to be nearly enough.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

Interesting. I can see this being applied to all sorts of things in the future. Strangely brothels come to mind. Wouldn't that simplify some of those awkward moments. :thumbs:

There's something very amusing about reading this: "Wouldn't that simplify some of those awkward moments," and glancing over at your avatar. :lol: ;)
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

With the awful crap that McDonald's sells I'm amazed they are still in business. Pretty much every last one of their competitors makes a better product than them.
 
Last edited:
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

And if they have fewer of them, they'll be able to pay them more and not effect their bottom line. Really, this is a harbinger of things to come that aren't going to be pleasant for the uneducated and poorly educated among us. There was a time when a strong willing body was enough. We're fast approaching a time when that's not going to be nearly enough.

The thing is that uneducated is pretty subjective. There are well paying 'uneducated' jobs out there (plumber, electrician, construction etc). However the process to getting the education required for them is pretty restricted to the majority of the poor. Aside from social issues like transportation and knowledge of there are bigger issues like getting the funds to attend them. Imagine, you want to become a plumber (which is a very in demand skill) but you live in a ****ty neighborhood and there is very little transportation to a from the neighborhood - which is the case for many in LA/NYC. What do you do? Well, you put your education on hold and you try to make ends meet with a part time. That's the solution for many. The innercity poor are stuck in a loop of being restricted by a myriad of social factors (poverty, access to information, lack of transportation) and having to settle for easy jobs that cover the necessities but not enough for one to have prospects of higher education.

I think a good approach would be to expand the definition of higher education and include technical jobs. Instead of funding football programs, so that they can fund liberal arts programs, schools should fund technical programs like masonry, plumbery, mechanics etc. We don't need 1000s of librarians with Poli-Sci degrees ending up as waiters if the economy tanks. We need people who offer valuable skills.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

McDonalds is finding out that just because you're huge doesn't mean you aren't replaceable. If you can't lock out competition in your field making **** will run you into the ground. The only fast food joint that deserves death more than Mcdonalds is Wendy's. Eww doesn't even begin to describe what they sell.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

McDonalds is finding out that just because you're huge doesn't mean you aren't replaceable.
If you can't lock out competition in your field making **** will run you into the ground.
The only fast food joint that deserves death more than Mcdonalds is Wendy's. Eww doesn't even begin to describe what they sell.

Which is why we should be eating burgers at our local small businessman's place--I do.

I got ahold of some free McD's coffee coupons today, which I like.
And I like some of their breakfast items also.

We still hit subway and I like arby's roast beef, but most of my not-so-fast food comes from the locals .
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

Which is why we should be eating burgers at our local small buisinessman's place--I do.

I got ahold of some free McD's coffee coupons today, which I like.
And I like some of their breakfast items also.

We still hit subway and I like arby's roast beef, but most of my not-so-fast food comes from the locals .

I don't eat fast food unless I'm on a long road trip and even then only if I can't find anything else. The only time that really happens is when I'm out in the middle of no where and the towns are so small that you drive down the street a few miles and you're right back out of town. I drove from Delaware to Oregon a few weeks ago and that happened a quite a bit when I hit the western states. Seriously people, where do you live out there? Why are the towns so far apart? I could have taken the plane, but well, being searched and having strangers look at me naked by forcing me through a machine is not my idea of a good time.
 
Last edited:
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

I don't eat fast food unless I'm on a long road trip and even then only if I can't find anything else. The only time that really happens is when I'm out in the middle of no where and the towns are so small that you drive down the street a few miles and you're right back out of town. I drove from Delaware to Oregon a few weeks ago and that happened a quite a bit when I hit the western states. Seriously people, where do you live out there? Why are the towns so far apart? I could have taken the plane, but well, being searched and having strangers look at me naked by forcing me through a machine is not my idea of a good time. It was actually fun driving across the country too.

I live for driving out West--once you get to Western Nebraska, you just have to scout out the towns--
like Ogallalla and Sidney, the home of Cabella's.

Wyoming has about five nice towns along I-80--Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins, Rock Springs and Evanston.
If you cut up on I-84 in Utah, you had Twin Falls and Boise in Idaho.
After that, not much until Portland, ORE so take good snacks like Beef Jerky and whatever good stuff you like.

Eastern Oregon, Utah, Idaho and parts of many other states bordering these make up what I would call the Mormon Province if this were Canada.
Nothing wrong with that, they've always been real good to me in my 41 years driving out there .
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

Interesting. I can see this being applied to all sorts of things in the future. Strangely brothels come to mind. Wouldn't that simplify some of those awkward moments. :thumbs:

:rofl:

I swear, the first thing I thought of while reading your post (but before you actually said it) was 'brothels' as well.

What is wrong with us?
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

And if they have fewer of them, they'll be able to pay them more and not effect their bottom line.

In most states waiters and waitresses are not paid a full wage. Is many states they make $2.13 an hour and are taxed as though they make a full wage. They are expected to make up the rest of their pay in tips. A restaurant must be really hurting if laying off a few waiters or waitresses helps their bottom line.

Really, this is a harbinger of things to come that aren't going to be pleasant for the uneducated and poorly educated among us. There was a time when a strong willing body was enough. We're fast approaching a time when that's not going to be nearly enough.
Unless a magical job fairy sprouts up with a unlimited supply of decent jobs it will be that way for many workers regardless of education level.This is due to out sourcing, atomization and college educated needlessly flooding the labor pool.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

This is what happens when - among other reasons - you start demanding higher pay then your position is worth (like fast food workers demanding $15/hr.).

If these fast food workers force Congress to adopt a $15/hr. minimum wage? I guarantee you that the above will be the result...automation and mass layoffs.

It ain't rocket science people - you are VERY replaceable.

You have confused sales and profits
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

With the awful crap that McDonald's sells I'm amazed they are still in business. Pretty much every last one of their competitors makes a better product than them.

Their sausage biscuit and iced mocha are pretty good.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

You have confused sales and profits

Uhh..no.

If you raise your profits per item sold, then sales do not need to be as large.

The best way to do that is lower costs.

Revenue – Costs = Profit or Loss

Everyone who has ever owned a business knows this.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

How much more "mediocre" can their burgers get? They're already awful and make me sick.

And you keep buying them?
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

From a business standpoint this is a ridiculous move.

The reason McDonalds's sales are slumping is because they have an inferior product as compared to their competition. 5 Guys, In 'n' Out, and others offer a better burger at more or less the same price.

If McD's wants to get back their market share they need to go back to their roots and start offering a m'arginal burger really, really fast. For decades the whole reason people went to McD's is because by the time you finished ordering your meal was on the tray in front of you. Yeah, the burger had been sitting under a heat lamp for 10 minutes and it really wasn't that great but it was also 29 cents and in your hand damned near before you could blink. They don't need specialty burgers and coffee lounges. They just need clean restaurants and lickity split service with the same old mediocre burgers they've always had.

The reason service is so bad is you get what you pay for in employees. Part-time only and minimum wage and you have constant turn over too.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

They are already plenty fast. I went through a McD's drive through tonight and I had the food very fast.

What McD's needs - imo - is cheaper products. That is their edge.

So, every way that they can cut costs without hurting their service/product should be explored.


And as for personalized service? Who goes to McDonald's for the service (I am speaking in general her - not specifically towards you)? Virtually no one. They go for cheap, fast, passable food that tastes reasonably good. If their Big Mac is 25 cents cheaper because it is served by a robot - I guarantee you most people would take it over two bits more for the same burger from a human (assuming it is served as fast and tastes the same either way).

Buulsheet. If I had a dollar for everytime I've been told to park and they will bring my order. Sounds like you went during nonpeak time. Go when it's busy and it's a different story.
 
Re: McDonald’s fresh hope to turn around slumping sales: Ordering burgers from a mach

And if they have fewer of them, they'll be able to pay them more and not effect their bottom line. Really, this is a harbinger of things to come that aren't going to be pleasant for the uneducated and poorly educated among us. There was a time when a strong willing body was enough. We're fast approaching a time when that's not going to be nearly enough.

And you believe they will pay them more as a result? Now that's funny!
 
Back
Top Bottom