this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2023
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Mildly Interesting

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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.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Last time I went to McDonald's there was a mess up and I was given the cash difference, I really dunno when I'll use it offhand. I'm also in Canada, never had a use for cash after recreational weed happened. Weird they make someone go through unknown keypressss to do cash, vending machines do cash why not just be convenient for customers? Oh right, paying people to deal with the cash, cause that'd hurt McDonald's bottom line heh.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

The McDonald's kiosks are hands down the absolute fucking worst I've ever seen. With all the self checkout systems that work perfectly easily McDonald's chose utter shite. I quit going just because of how shitty they are.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 years ago (7 children)

I wouldn't call doing someone else's job for free and upgrade.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

This is a different situation than self-checkout at supermarkets. There yes you could argue a cashier who is experienced with scanning items all day and has access to a fully-featured POS can scan all your items faster and more efficiently than you could ever do on that locked-down self-checkout pos, and owners who take away cashiers are purely saving money at the expense of your time. But here you yourself have to communicate your order either way. I much prefer to browse at my leisure and tap at pictures rather than shouting my order 3 times while there is an impatient line behind me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

To each their own I suppose. You'll get your way on this one, since every checkout that can be automated eventually will be.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

We can keep the supermarket cashiers, we just have to demand it. Always choose the full-service line, and complain loudly if there are not enough cashiers to keep the line short, scoff at any suggestion to use the self-checkout and demand to speak to a manager and corporate. As I said elsewhere, one person can only do so much, but when a million people keep doing it the mountain will have to move. I feel personally responsible for the installation of these cashboxes by insisting to pay in cash every single time for the past several years.

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[–] [email protected] -4 points 2 years ago

People get so fucking mad at me when I go up to the counter to order. I'm still going to do it. 🖕

[–] [email protected] -5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

We really are just catering to a society of antisocial nerds that hate interacting with people and will destroy the jobs of all those they seem lesser than them huh?

But don't worry those people can go finger paint or something. See it's kind and a utopia. Says the people that want this because they don't have to pay or deal with others. Utopia. For sure.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Well, better than forcing everyone to be social and have service people break down over yet an other arrogant karen who thinks they should get special treatment and doesn't see service people as actual people but more like peons they are allowed to order around.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

Uhh no social contracts are how we keep society moving. People need to interact with other people to be reminded other humans and perspectives exist.

This is exactly how we get all this NPC bullshit. Antisocial garbage like this seen as the better option by secluding everyone in their own micro reality. It only serves capitalism and the insane.

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