Former McDonald’s CEO Ed Rensi is warning that the fight for a $15 minimum wage is directly contributing to the restaurant industry’s push toward automation.
However, McDonald’s current CEO Chris Kempczinski confirmed during Alliance Bernstein’s Strategic Decisions Conference last week that the company is testing an automated, voice-recognition based drive-thru ordering system at 10 of its Chicago locations. Kempczinski noted that the artificial intelligence technology has 85% accuracy with filling orders, with workers having to step in for approximately one in five orders.
“There’s a big leap from going to 10 restaurants in Chicago to 14,000 restaurants across the U.S., with an infinite number of promo permutations, menu permutations, dialect permutations, weather – and on and on and on,” Kempczinski said, according to a conference transcript from FactSet obtained by Nation’s Restaurant News. “Do I think in five years from now you’re going to see a voice in the drive-thru? I do, but I don’t think that this is going to be something that happens in the next year or so.”
Their food is SHHHT !!!! They need to work on that !!!!!
They will tell you any lie to keep the peeps enslaved.
Automation was coming either way.
So sad to see billionaires cry over money, when their employees are on welfare trying to survive.
Ghetto food. Ghetto wages.
well at least I wouldnt have to worry whether or not the robot washed it’s hands after going to the bathroom before handling my food. totally disgusting food!
Bourbon Burgers on my grill – always a healthy winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Take that McPuke!
Chipotle just announced they are raising prices so they can pay their employees more. Let’s see how that works! Gone are the days of paying people for their skills and ability. It’s is now expected that those who are lazy should be able to buy that mansion and Mercedes while they work at a fast food restaurant.