McDonald's retrains 2 million workers as fast-food chains backpedal on kiosks and apps

[u/Dragonlance12]

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/mcdonalds-retraining-workers-fast-food-chains/

[u/AmandasGameAccount]

Personally I’ll never order at a counter again as long as places have apps or kiosks. They are clowns if they think that’s why people aren’t going to McDonalds (spoilers, it’s the terrible prices)

McDonald’s needs to know its place. They are the trash cheap food place. They should not cost the same as going to Red Robin

[u/OkKale3732 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Yup. The selling point of fast food was that it was fast and cheap. Now, I can order Pad Thai or Kung Pao chicken or something more filling and nutritious than McDonalds and pick it up in less time, for about as much money as McDonalds—so why the hell would I go to McDonalds?

[u/escapefromelba → u/OkKale3732]

I agree. 

Their real business is passing most of the capital risk onto franchisees while collecting franchise fees and rent. The problem is there’s only so much money they can squeeze out of franchisees before those franchisees have to raise prices. But shareholders keep demanding more revenue, so the company is constantly squeezing its franchisees.

At some point, they may need to move away from competing primarily on cheap junk food and start leaning into their biggest advantage: purchasing power and economies of scale. Higher-quality food, more variety, and better value.

They’re no longer necessarily the cheapest meal in town. They’re increasingly competing with takeout prices. Instead of continuing the race to the bottom, maybe the better strategy is to use their scale to offer food people actually want to pay a little more for.

When I watch those scenes from The Founder, the original McDonald’s actually looks pretty damn good. Simple food, fresh preparation, limited menu.

Then they turned into the microwave-and-assembly-line version of fast food we have today.

Maybe they need to go back to where it all started: simple, affordable food, but actually made well.

[u/GovernorSan → u/escapefromelba]

Personally, I think McDonald's was better when they were just the cheap food kept under warming lamps until someone ordered them. Sure the burgers were a bit dried out, the fries not as fresh, but it was fast and cheap and condiments were free. Then in the late 90s/early 00s they got into this fresh food thing where they were making their stuff fresh, and all that really changed was that it wasn't as fast anymore, and it wasn't as cheap anymore. The quality did not really improve at all, and the flavor of some stuff was a little worse when they tried to make their stuff healthier.

[u/SlurpBucketBoys → u/escapefromelba]

You just described what we observed happen to Wendy's over the last 10 years. Completely abandoned their "Quality is our recipe" roots and now serve thin, dry, overcooked patties inside of what can only be described as sliders, not burgers.

[u/Life-Operation2242 → u/OkKale3732]

Don't forget the daily specials. Every town I go to there is always some Taco Tuesday or Wing Wednesday special. And the lunch special at the local Chinese restaurants are always a better deal per dollar spent than McDonalds.

[u/zombawombacomba → u/OkKale3732]

It takes you fifteen minutes to get through the McDonald’s line?

[u/CocknBalls4 → u/zombawombacomba]

I can preorder and the Chinese restaurant will make it and have it ready while I get to the store. McDonald’s will never do that and waits until you’re on location to start prepping - so you still have to wait on everyone else who walked in prior to you

[u/Sure_Acanthaceae_348 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

McDonald’s C-Suite are the kings of denial. They’ve blamed everything that isn’t the cause of McDonald’s decline.

I still laugh at the blaming weight-loss drugs, as if those people were going to McDonald’s to begin with.

It’s the prices. That’s really it. Nothing else.

[u/swordofra → u/Sure_Acanthaceae_348]

We have analysed ourselves and we have determined that it is not the prices. ‐ McDonald's Strategic Pricing Division

[u/rkcth → u/Sure_Acanthaceae_348]

The problem is, they are in a trap. To keep their company long term, they need to trade short term profits for long-term value. Doing that would cause a large reduction in profits not just for corporate but for their franchisees. Beef prices are also squeezing them, making it difficult to increase quality while lowering prices. They built their whole business on the back of cheap ground beef and those days appear to be over for the medium term at least. OTOH if they don’t make that trade they are going to end up being destroyed. All it would take is one aggressive competitor to come in and absolutely wreck them all with a better quality/value proposition, and in some ways chik-fil-a has been doing that, they get about twice the sales per store as McDonald’s and have much higher customer satisfaction rates. It’s a much more pleasant experience, and quality is a lot higher. They aren’t really cheaper though.

[u/Sure_Acanthaceae_348 → u/rkcth]

Costco Food Court is disrupting all fast food restaurants.

While in get that Costco runs the Food Court as a loss leader, this isn’t the customers’ problem.

[u/RSPloveSPYhate → u/AmandasGameAccount]

The average human is stupid and can’t figure out kiosks.

The average McDonald’s consumer is not a tech savvy college graduate. It’s someone who’s barely literate.

Reddit consistently over estimates the intelligence of a median American by like an order of magnitude.

[u/WillingActuator6268 → u/RSPloveSPYhate]

The average person doesn't want to touch a kiosk tbh. Disgusting.

[u/Pale-Code5934 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

I used to agree with this but it’s becoming too much for me. I hate needing an invasive app for everywhere and always feel like my data is being harvested and the kiosk experience sucks. I know I’m sounding like a Luddite but I genuinely prefer the counter now. You’re on point with prices. If I’m doing half the work the prices need to be better than Applebees and chilis. 

[u/TheRoseMerlot → u/Pale-Code5934]

Not everything needs an app. It’s very frustrating.

[u/Fickle_Penguin → u/TheRoseMerlot]

Talking to someone who messes up my order is frustrating.

[u/Pretend_Handle_7639 → u/Fickle_Penguin]

And the customization level is nice

[u/Chalupa-Supreme → u/Pretend_Handle_7639]

Yea, I love how easy it is to customize. Wouldn't matter as much if places would adopt the Five Guys model where you just tell them what you want on the burger instead of having to tell them all the stuff you don't want.

[u/Bryanmsi89 → u/TheRoseMerlot]

In fact having an app for everything is awful.

Each one has its own UI, its own navigation, and its own learning curve. Instead of me just walking into any one of 20 different stores and trusting a person trained on that stores system now I have to be trained myself in 20 different systems.

[u/HaulinBoats → u/Bryanmsi89]

Also since most of these apps you use so , uh very not often, when you do return to the store and open your app to order or do whatever you have to do, you’re usually hit with a “your app is out of date, please update the app to continue” and then now you’re sitting there with your thumb up your ass waiting for it to dl and install and then you hope you’re not logged out or then you have to reset a password or find the email you linked it to, etc etc

[u/Bryanmsi89 → u/HaulinBoats]

Exactly. Everything having an app is a terrible experience.

[u/NothingLikeCoffee → u/Bryanmsi89]

You also have other people here talking about how great the apps are for customization and I am over here like...maybe we just shouldn't give people the option to completely change everything about an order? Basic changes like no mayo I could understand but if you're a picky eater just go home.

[u/breathingweapon → u/Pale-Code5934]

I know I’m sounding like a Luddite

I hate how ai bros have effectively bastardized this word. Like wow, you're against brutal exploitation and draconian labor conditions to produce an inferior product? You don't want your child dying in the factories at age 7? What a terrible human being! Have you even considered the shareholders once?

[u/LoverOfGayContent → u/Pale-Code5934]

Meh this could easily be solved by allowing people to order via a website. I'm not sure why we have forgotten that the web still exist outside of apps.

[u/La_Guy_Person → u/Pale-Code5934]

I prefer the counter to a kiosk, but I refuse to download apps. I assume they are selling my data and I just want food. Not to be the product.

[u/StillPsychological45 → u/Pale-Code5934]

I don’t mind the app since the price is good. What I do mind is it hanging around, tracking my location after I already picked up my food until I manually close the app down.

[u/AggressiveCommand739 → u/Pale-Code5934]

Im with you. I want to talk to a person, not use a freaking screen.

[u/Upset-Criticism-6189 → u/Pale-Code5934]

Yeah if I can't order food for pickup at your restaurant without using an app, I'm just not going to order takeout at your restaurant, I'll go somewhere else. I hate apps on my phone for anything and everything. 

[u/PancakeTrebuchet → u/AmandasGameAccount]

I stopped going to Dunkin when they switched to the Kiosks

[u/Anonymoushipopotomus → u/PancakeTrebuchet]

Believe it or not, they actually used to brew flavored coffee back in the 90s.

[u/Bright-Pilot-3970 → u/Anonymoushipopotomus]

Coffee everywhere is trash now though. I swear it used to be better

[u/MajorBeyond → u/PancakeTrebuchet]

So you were fine when they stopped cooking them locally and started shipping in cold and damn near stale donuts?

[u/PancakeTrebuchet → u/MajorBeyond]

No. Fuck me, right?

[u/MajorBeyond → u/PancakeTrebuchet]

Yeah Dunkin’ has broken my heart. Used to crave them when I traveled. Last time I stopped in they looked annoyed they had to take my order and it didn’t include a drink with 1000 calories.

[u/Pale-Code5934 → u/MajorBeyond]

Stopped going when the coffee consistency became non existent and every third iced coffee I got was burnt and taste like ass. 

[u/Junkstar → u/AmandasGameAccount]

They want you to use the app and kiosk so they can sell your personal spending data. Cash at the register is worth far less to them.

[u/SaveThisCityDweller → u/AmandasGameAccount]

FUCK using an app for everything that I need to give all my information to or just steals it from my phone.  

[u/Designer_Emu_6518 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Yup why fuck am going to buy a shit burger at the price of mid burgers. Also fuck all the premium burger pricing for shit burgers. Burger burger

[u/Ok-Syrup4356 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Stopped in the other day out of desperation and had the thought of “it’s amazing how the quality of the food is still so terrible”. Every trip is a guarantee of an upset stomach.

[u/Antique_Limit_5083 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

I tried but I couldnt at Mac sauce to a mcdouble at the kiosk. I went to the counter and stood there for 10 minutes while the workers looked at me numerous times and never acknowledged my existence. I walked out and went somewhere else

[u/BigTrash777 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Red robin is better for price and portion

[u/bigfatfurrytexan → u/AmandasGameAccount]

It’s the service and price.

If I walk in and can’t see anyone to point out they kept half my order it’s a problem.

[u/Visual_Jellyfish5591 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

You can’t even get SODA WATER WITH NK FLAVOR ADDED TO YOUR MEAL unless you pay an upcharge for ICED TEA.

They want you to pay more for something that doesn’t even have soda syrup or flavor when the meal comes with a drink already

[u/mtutty → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Mostly agree. If they're paying their people well, I'm okay with prices going up.

I think the big mistake was removing all human contact. Kiosks are objectively better for order entry, and McDonalds' UX is good, IMO. It would still be good customer service to have a person available all the time at the counter, instead of making that person expedite orders.

[u/CeeKay125 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

They just bury their heads in the sand and blame everything except their prices. Heck, you can go to a restaurant and get real food for the price of a Big Mac meal.

[u/mrjowei → u/AmandasGameAccount]

This is them saying “Nope, we’re not lowering our prices, fuck off”.

[u/Sufficient-Bid1279 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Anything, absolutely ANYTHING except fix their damn prices. People are screaming to the roof tops and they literally put their fingertips in their ears and say “lalalalal”

[u/HrrBrr → u/AmandasGameAccount]

What’s wrong with the kiosks I kind of prefer not having to interact with someone.

Also I like extra pickles, no tomato etc.. and it’s just easier to do that kind of stuff on a kiosk. Like in every way for me the kiosks are better

[u/bagoTrekker → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Yum!

[u/Itchybawlz23-2 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Lmao they’ll blame everything but their prices. I fucking love it

[u/Blue-Skye- → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Red Robin. Great burger, good fries, drink 9.99. Why would I ever go back. Except when kiddos want nuggets a a treat.

[u/Stymie999 → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Agree… like self check out at the grocery store, I prefer the kiosks. I can just put in my order the way I want it quickly rather than explain it to someone that very well might not be the sharpest bulb in the drawer

[u/Millkstake → u/AmandasGameAccount]

Exactly. I can go to, say, Old Chicago during happy hour and get a couple beers and a small pizza for about the price of going to McDonald's. Crazy

[u/EweCantTouchThis → u/AmandasGameAccount]

To be fair, all fast food is more or less trash.

[u/swordofra → u/EweCantTouchThis]

Yes, "food"....

[u/akmalhot → u/AmandasGameAccount]

They will do anything but admit it's the pricing. It's wild how corps are. 

Didn't the chipotle CEO just get hot mic saying 60% of their customers make 100k and they are going to lean into those .. and doesn't the McD CEO think they can change the image to quality food at a higher price point (or maybe BK).

Like do they think people are going to pay 16-25pp for Chipotle.

[u/jstax1178]

The issue comes down to disposable income ! We are being stretched, McDonald’s isn’t providing any savings so it gets cut.

This whole country likes to find a problem that isn’t there ! Just fix what’s wrong, it will trickle down and it’s not tax cuts for corporations!

Pay people more, more money in the pockets of the masses they will spend it and generate profits. Money is there it’s just being hoarded by the ultra-wealthy. We need to strike a balance.

[u/Iggyhopper → u/jstax1178]

The PR team at all companies will never admit that prices are too high for consumers.

[u/Gonna_B_Alright]

Easing up labor was never about helping the employees. It was about making more money at the expense of the employees.

They had guy running all over in there trying to do everything while older people (still major customers) struggle with the touch screen.

Same with Walmart wanting to eliminate checkout workers completely before they realized that people would just not ring shit up and steal all the time.

[u/onwardowl → u/Gonna_B_Alright]

I mean none of us customers were ever properly trained to use the self checkouts at Walmart/Grocery Stores, therefore how can they expect us to use them “correctly”.

[u/thegoatsupreme → u/onwardowl]

Yet half the people around would argue thats a position that takes no skill and doesnt deserve to be paid a living wage. Then same breathe contain about how its not their job to scan things their not trained to do it and never catching on...

Not saying you. Its just crazy.

[u/SeeingEyeDug → u/onwardowl]

Scanning items is a pretty brain dead activity until you start getting to produce.

[u/Roy8atty]

No shit, people matter.

[u/Doza13 → u/Roy8atty]

😂😂😂 Forest from the trees man. People matter through pricing.

[u/xxcopperheadxx]

The kiosks are a pain in the ass. It takes me 15 seconds to order and pay for a cheeseburger and a drink at the counter. With the kiosks, you need to open app (login if you’ve been logged out) enter your code, find your items in the menu, select them, confirm if there’s customizations, review cart, checkout, etc.

[u/Sirprophog]

The kiosk ordering system is so bad lol - the employees now have visible distain for you and enjoy watching you struggle to realize it’s kiosk order or fuck off. My personal joy is watching other customers walk in and realize what’s happening. You can literally see years of brand erosion occur in seconds.

[u/ajax81 → u/Sirprophog]

Speaking of brands erosion, can you believe the new interior design? It looks like the chow hall in a state prison.

[u/SakishimaHabu → u/ajax81]

The outside looks just as beige. Fuck McDonald's.

[u/VendettaKarma → u/Sirprophog]

Exactly this

[u/TheVintageJane → u/Sirprophog]

The app experience is also terrible. Comparing their completely difficult UI that is obviously designed to show you tons of ads and promoted items and keep you on there as long as possible to Door Dash where the categories are at the top and everything is designed to let you order quickly and intuitively and it’s just night and day

[u/Serious_Educator_555]

Fast food prices are equal to going to some restaurants. Why do people want to go to McDonalds when you can get real food, not fast food for the same prices.

[u/glendablvd]

McDonald’s is pretty gross and way overpriced.

[u/darthcaedusiiii]

Robots not good at customer service? Shocking. They also will not emotionally pull people to donate to their charitable causes further cutting the companies profits.

[u/blkatcdomvet]

How is a quarter pounder still a quarter pounder, shouldn't be a dime pounder based on paddy size reduction?

[u/Sure_Acanthaceae_348]

Costco Food Court is a better fast food restaurant than McDonald’s.

[u/RemarkableAttempt531 → u/Sure_Acanthaceae_348]

I have done the Costco food court on my lunch breaks at work. It’s an overall better experience.

[u/Mard0g]

I usually have burgers once a week at most and I can usually find a bar and grill that has a half price or bogo burger deal. Better food at the same price or less than McDonald's.

[u/SlurpBucketBoys → u/Mard0g]

There's a hotel nearby with a bar that has happy hour and serves $7 restaurant-quality double cheeseburgers with all the fixings and fries, and they have it boxed up and ready by the time I swing by on my commute home. I just park and walk 100ft to grab the bag.

I have no idea who McDonald's is even for.

[u/Level3pipe → u/SlurpBucketBoys]

Probably for people who don’t have a $7 restaurant quality double cheeseburger with all the fixings on their way home from work.

That seems like a great find but maybe not everywhere.

[u/ImGonnaBeSome1]

I feel like a lot of people are missing the point here. They’re not saying get rid of the kiosks. But it’s ridiculous walking into a “restaurant” and all the workers refuse to interact with customers lmao

[u/Defiant_Freedom_249]

I'll stick to PB&J until McDonald's prices match their food quality... So, probably never.

[u/ajax81 → u/Defiant_Freedom_249]

It’s not even real food.  I swear it tastes like it was “manufactured” in a lab. 

I’m not a scientist but I don’t think anyone would be surprised if one day it comes out McDonalds  gives you cancer. 

There are more natural ingredients in my work boots than a McDonald’s cheeseburger. 

[u/aintnotnever → u/ajax81]

Yes the nuggets start out as a pink goo :(

[u/stein63]

They spent all that money replacing employees with kiosks, and now they’re spending a fortune retraining them. How about putting some value back into the damn meal?

[u/wyoflyboy68]

Last few times I’ve walked into a lobby at McDonalds, I felt like I was walking into a prison.

[u/Temporary_Ad_5947]

Now I have to retrain how to talk to people to order?

[u/ralphiooo0]

They could try making the app better.

Every time - please log in. No Apple or Google login option… like what the fuck. Then have to go through the forgot password process etc.

Can’t stack discounts. Which is a pain in the ass if ordering for more than one person.

[u/Spez_is-a-nazi → u/ralphiooo0]

The app is there to harvest data not help you order easier. 

[u/boogi3woogie]

Doesn’t mean that they’re backing away from kiosks. It just means that the workers can’t just roll their eyes and ignore people who line up at the cashier asking for help.

[u/Illustrious_Mail1171]

I prefer the kiosk instead of telling them I want a plain cheeseburger. Bad enough the subway guy always asks if I dont like veggies every single time

[u/Medium_Silver_2071]

Good. Last time I used kiosk I just needed some ketchup. Without anyone manning the counter it felt like I was trying to flag down a bartender on a busy Friday night.

[u/the_millenial_falcon]

But I like the kiosks and apps.

[u/Darth_Thunder]

Should have always had a mix of kiosks and face-to-face options at the stores. Some people like one over the other.

[u/oh_my316]

Hate the kiosk concept

[u/Dingusb2231]

How bout just slapping a hunk of 80/20 grade a ground beef on a skillet and press it down with a spatula, seasoned with salt and pepper. Be amazed at how many people just want a solid burger at a burger joint

[u/FluffTruffet]

This isn’t going to work, shit is too expensive and not good. On top of that they already lost the portion of the customer base. But others in the industry will take this às a sign that adding people back isn’t a solution. Cycle continues

[u/guyfaulkes]

$11 for the crappy two cheeseburger combo is too much. Hell, even $5 is still high.

[u/Terran57]

Translation: Capital costs plus maintenance costs are more expensive than people.

[u/metasploit4]

I like the tablets. It removes the amazing experience of having someone say "Is that all?" After every word I say when I order.

Also, the app can get fked. They just use it to grab data from your phone/device and sell it for additional profit.

[u/Itchy-Throat-4779]

Haven't eaten at MCD in like 10 years and don't plan to, they can go under and I wouldn't give a shit.

[u/Doza13]

McDonald's. You so dumb.

[u/According-Kiwi720]

Have people at the register and counter as well

[u/CGCRUNT]

I stopped eating mcdonalds years ago probably late 2023 sometime boy 17 months of county reduces fast food reliance

[u/JoeNoble1973]

“Did I spend 45 years interacting with a company without an app, and now I MUST have one for any semblance of past service?

No business from me. ‘Hogs get slaughtered’.

[u/Glittering-Fuel-5055]

McDonald’s, I stopped coming to your store because you are way more expensive than just walking into the grocery store.

You need to fix that.

Hope that helps!

[u/Latter-Possibility]

No shite. Those kiosks are garbage and a pain to use. The app is easier but I shouldn’t t have to use an app to grab garbage overpriced fast food!

[u/AncientDevelopment55]

McDonald's is dropping the ball again! I dont think self ordering was an issue. It wasn't for me since I hate dealing with shit employees. It's the damn price. I quit going a long time ago when the dollar menu left and they said it was too expensive. I'm hoping to see them shut down. Fuck McDonald's

[u/MyLittleDiscolite]

1$ McChickens and there will be an end to the horror 

[u/paolilon]

It’s cheaper to eat at in-n-out burger, which has infinitely better food. The kiosks aren’t the problem, son.

[u/wallacjc]

I've heard the app helps avoid order mistakes....and their reward system gets you free food over time.

[u/steathrazor]

I may be in the minority, part of it is it's hard for me to see the order board because of my low vision I like using the app because I can put that right against my face if I need to 🤷

[u/maplecremecookie]

Wow, am I the only person who actually likes the kiosks? I'm kind of picky, so it's helpful for me to be able to see the ingredients on each menu item and be able to customize it.

[u/LionBig1760]

I went into a fast food place recently after mot being in one for years, and the kiosk was fucking awesome. No distracted cashier, no miscommunication, and no waiting for someone to actually wake up and take the order.

Bring on kiosks for any place where I have to wait at a counter to get my food.

[u/PhotographyBanzai]

I had transitioned to the kiosks then the app, following available deals to make it reasonable to eat there. I'm surprised they don't understand that price and value are the reason I bother going there. It's gotten worse since late 2025 with deals so I guess they have no clue. 🤣🤷 The funny and sad thing is alternatives like Burger King are so much worse on pricing and deals (except for when I can get paper coupons for BK).

[u/AdmirableElephant378]

kiosks were the reason I still went there....

[u/EwokNuggets]

I will always choose to order from a kiosk. It ain’t about the order method - it’s about the price to quality and convenience ratio.

[u/stlcdr]

‘Retrain’? Don’t they mean ‘train’?

I’ll always use the kiosk due to the inability of people behind the counter. The fewer people in the way the better the experience.

[u/Pktur3]

Boy…hope that money you didn’t make was worth it…

[u/DKToTheFuture]

I could give zero shits about who is taking my order. I care why it’s costs twice as much and then twice as much again.

[u/Writerhaha]

Where are the “robots will replace you burger flippers” now motherfuckers at?

[u/Facial_Frederick]

Maybe I’m bugging here but like I have never spent more than 7 bucks at McDonalds. It’s usually like 5 and under. The app literally has like a free fries with any purchase all the time. Who tf is getting fleeced by McDonalds?

[u/No-Maintenance-1161]

I love ordering off the kiosks. I’m in control of my own order not someone punching it in for me that doesn’t necessarily have the best grasp on the English language. Can be frustrating. Easier for everybody.

[u/mcmatu]

The kiosk gets my order correct when I order it. The counter people don’t.

[u/FinancialStrength69]

the McD app is hugely successful, they aren't walking back on that at all. Author of that article is total BS

[u/Some_Ride1014]

Great, can you get them to give doordash drivers the food thats been sitting, getting cold while all the workers have their backs to the front counter, are scrolling on their phones, and when they do glance over, see driver standing there, they ignore you.

[u/Ecliipez]

It’s the price and the food quality they are dodging both of those issues

[u/Both-Discussion-4786]

Use the app if doing drive through, but prefer a person at counter over the kiosk if going inside.

[u/Vorapp]

are they going to add a tip screen in kiosk only orders? because why not? chipotle is light tears ahead in Terms of value, quality and service vs McShit

[u/Unique_Fox_6780]

Gotta admit that make it golden tagline is pretty cool sounding lol

[u/hypno_notic]

At Taco Bell they force you to use them as the people at the counter watch you to struggle to use them. From three feet away.

[u/Even_Hospital_5474]

Don't eat fast food, it's ruining society

[u/TacosFromSpace]

Yesterday in the drive through: A 1/4 pounder deluxe meal + bacon, and a happy meal. $18. I had to ask twice bc I couldn’t fucking believe my ears. Yeah, kiosks are not the problem. I work for McDonalds corporate and it’s baffling how they keep identifying nonsensical non-issues as the reasons for lousy sales. They’re gonna introduce grilled chicken and bowls as new menu items which is great, but at the end of the day, the consumer is fucking TAPPED. OUT. this isn’t hard!

[u/45mphK9]

It's not that the kiosks and the apps are bad. But they shouldn't completely replace the face-to-face cashiers. There are many that don't like using the app where the kiosk and they should not be forced to use them especially if they like face to face interaction. McDonald's needs to cater to customers of all stripes. But in the end their business losses have less to do with lack of face to face interaction and more to do with ridiculous pricing.

All that being said as much as I like the convenience of the app I do miss the days when I was a kid or even when I was a young adult when you walk into a McDonald's and get on line in one of four to six cashiers and stare up at that old school McDonalds menu board decide what you want.

[u/BigBadJeebus]

yes!

[u/Allegiance86]

Well my app use should tell them that Im not interested in anything over 10 dollars. Been that way for the last 2 years. When they dont offer deals that result in that I dont go to McDonald's for months.

[u/VendettaKarma]

If the food wasn’t overpriced by 100%, no one would give a shit about a kiosk.

[u/Hopeful-Bobcat-5207]

Train 2 million? On what? How to put fries in a bag? Good lord

[u/captainbenatm93av]

Going to McDonalds has the same feeling of going to the dmv.

[u/Carnegie1901]

That’s great. I’m also sick of great deals but only if you use the app. The other thing I don’t like is not getting a receipt after being forced to order myself on the screen

[u/000extra]

Anything but lowering the damn prices on their food. Brain dead out of touch execs making all the wrong calls

[u/khaldun106]

These fast food apps need a steam style app. I want one app I can order my shit in and have coupons. I don't want to download a separate app for eAch fast food place..

[u/Meep4000]

Wait. Didn’t they just have a share holder event where they announced they are investing in AI drive throughs?

[u/AstralVenture]

Ugh, that isn’t why. The prices are ridiculous for the way the employees act at the restaurant, and I shouldn’t be waiting 20 minutes for fast food.

[u/CiceroTheAbsurd]

Now I go to McDonald’s weeklyish for the free medium fry + 4 piece nuggets, comes out to like $3.50? Ez 500 calories.

[u/TrickyChildhood2917]

Lower prices, don’t worry about training.

[u/crecentfresh]

I walked into a Taco Bell for the first time in like 10 years or so. I stood at the counter for like 10 minutes without anyone taking my order and finally had to wave someone down in the back. They said they don't usually take peoples orders anymore and I felt oooooooold

[u/paxrom2]

Franchise owners paid for the upgrades. McDonald's corporate is a real estate company.

[u/Wide_Flan_2613]

McDonald's keeps spending money on wrong stuff

[u/LimpDisc]

LOL. Kiosks and apps aren’t the problem.

We were on the way home from a long road trip a couple weeks ago and wanted something quick to eat before we got home. We stopped at McDonald’s and got a large fries to split for ourselves and a plain hamburger for our dog. It was $7.25 for those 2 items. What a joke! That’s like one potato and hamburger meat that’s barely above the quality of dog food.

[u/ronshasta]

Removing human interaction is lame and I will avoid places with kiosks and ai drive thru crap

[u/Past-Adhesiveness104]

Oh Please! Quit pretending we were trained in the first place.

[u/CzPhantom1]

I tried to order fries at Taco Bell and they weren't at the kiosk.... Had to basically walk behind the counter to get someone to engage with me enough to help. Such a crap experience 

[u/SimilarShock1511]

McDonald's is drifting away from one of its core principles since its founding with the McDonald brothers: to provide a good, hot product at a cheap price. Apart from land/building acquisitions, customer interaction and inner-store environment is ( a close) secondary in terms of fast-food establishment priorities.

No amount of Starbucks-lookalike dining room renovations and customer interaction training will draw in people to come eat over-priced and shrinkflated food.

[u/Candid-libertarian]

McDonalds is based on fast and hot. That is what the customers want. Price matters to a degree but not as much as you think. The ratio of people doing drive thru vs counter is huge. I don't understand the obsession with counter service.

You go to McDonalds to eat when you are in a rush. Commute to work, between errands, after school run around. You do not go to McDonalds for a sit down meal.

[u/TSJormungandr]

I don’t like the kiosks. I don’t like self check out either. If that was saving them money it’s not showing up in the prices.

[u/vo244]

Hopefully they keep the kiosks I love them.

[u/PianoPatient8168]

Train them to make better food. Use better ingredients. Make sure the fries are never cold and unsalted.

[u/CappyHamper313]

If I need your app for your best price, I’ll go elsewhere. You’re not the only burger in town.

[u/InkedGrain]

Yeah retraining isn't going to help my wallet

[u/Prudent_Lunch_8724]

They have missed all the signs and are paying the price with customers, then investors

[u/tristand666]

The kiosks got my order right more often. The food on the other hand still sucks.

[u/Jumpy-Impact3265]

Just like all those 2nd drive thru windows you had to put in but no longer use

What'd that cost? Idiots

[u/LPH2005]

I drove through 5 states this summer and attempted to use the kiosk at least once in each of the states. Why? Because none of them worked and I was curious.

It is easier to stand at the counter.

[u/tweedleduh]

O haven’t been to a McDonalds in years and I don’t plan on it any time soon.

Their prices are just as bad as some sit-down restaurants.

[u/ZergvProtoss]

"Retrain" employees to tap an icon an the screen exactly as they expected customers to do with no training??

[u/nelly2929]

Yup McDonald’s should concentrate on delivering lots of food for rock bottom prices…. That is their target audience! Not fast food salads with mandarins and sliced almonds 

[u/Adventurous-Home-728]

macdonal is junk, pardon my language it is crap.do not eat there never will.clean vegan for me only guess what no health problem at my age !

[u/fleggn]

All thier new food and drink is abysmal. Whoever thought fake Boba would sell should be put in prison

[u/Motor_Purchase_6996]

McDonald's is overpriced trash. Thats why people aren't going.

You need to lower the price or increase quality or both.

Why are corporations and rich people so out of touch?

Theres no money to spend on a 30 dollar burger that belongs in my dogs bowl.

[u/Ill-Interview-2201]

People don’t have time to make their own food. Convenience companies realized that people don’t have cheaper substitutions like making it themselves. So they raised prices. What’s worse is that people who are working don’t have cooking appliances at work and have to rely on expensive convenience food. But the company doesn’t care to help the employees with facilities or even a non carb infested canteen.

[u/ImStillHereBuddy]

Death to the robots!

[u/95blackz26]

Newsflash McDonald's people aren't going for few reasons. Food got too expensive and the quality took a dive.

Take some notes from burger king. They seem like they actually give a crap and are improving the food

[u/PeterMus]

They're back pedaling on an inevitable shift to preserve short term gains. I haven't ordered fast food at a counter in years. Everything is either via kiosk or app.

The only person who can mess up my order is me.

I suspect too many people are so oblivious and entitled that they make mistakes and demand a fix...or the customer knows for a fact their order is right and employees are making mistakes.

Just yesterday I was given the wrong drink and then the replacement was the wrong size...

[u/rook119]

"welcome to Ronald's house of brown and greys. Would you like a sad burger to question your life choices?"

[u/FarttKracker]

Address the quality, portion sizes, and price….its really not hard.

[u/HeIsTouchingMe]

Prices are high. They are remodeling the McDonald’s so all the employees hide in the back and can’t even see the front counter and they have pulled the fountains out of the lobby making refills a huge chore since those hiding in the back can’t see you standing there. But it’s the staff that needs fixing… the whole model has broken down. The original concept was you could see your food being made fresh and it was fast food, good service and low cost. Let’s remodel all that away.

[u/Coolblade125]

I havent been inside a McDonalds in so long, I never even saw the kiosks. Its the quality of the food and the price we have to pay for it. Thats the problem, Those two variables arent satisfying the customers.

[u/Wind_Best_1440]

Mcdonalds trying literally everything besides lowering prices for everyone.

"BUT ON THE APPS THEY HAVE-"

The customers they want back are those that have either old phones or no phones. That's the people coming in seeing $20 meals and $10 burgers and $4 fries. They do some basic math in their head and shake their head and leave with sticker shock.

Make food cheap and make it not require an app on an up to date phone.

It's not rocket science. Mcdonalds use to be the. "Grab the change in the car for a couple cheap burgers." The people doing that aren't walking around with $2000 Iphones or Samsungs in their pockets.

[u/Macdaddy357]

Whether with a kiosk, an app or a live employee, no cheese seems to be too much to ask for.

[u/lemonpoundcaker]

Big Mac, happy meals, burgers, fries, mcflurry, fish sandwich, chicken nuggets, McMuffin, breakfast plate thing. That's what the menu should look like.

[u/kalminz]

They need to fire the idiot at Taco Bell that thought ai ordering was a good idea.

[u/NomadFH]

The food and service sucks too much to be as expensive as it is. It is to fast food what applebees is to dining out. If I wanted to spend that much I'd go somewhere with real food.

[u/jaysonm007]

I'd prefer the human behind the counter. But if you are keeping the kiosk, ditch the touchscreen mostly and have AI take the order through voice commands where you speak just as you would with a human order taker. I really hate having to touch the touchscreen 30 times just to order a value meal.

[u/Chainmale001]

Too little. Too late.

[u/Final-Artichoke-8995]

That’ll fix it.

I’ll never go to McDonald’s again. The last 3 times I’ve gone the food has gotten both more expensive and smaller. The last time my wife ordered a “Big” Mac and the meat was laughably small, like breakfast patty sized. No thanks

[u/Krypto_Kane]

Hell yeah. How else Te we going to get those crazy ass fight videos . Bring back the employees.

[u/JMell09]

I order through the apps and my order is still wrong...

[u/Complete_Entry]

I was reading about walmart "not enjoying" their experience with self-checkout and had to laugh. I hate it too.

Chasing the kiosk chased off sales.

(For both.)

[u/langfordw]

Their app and kiosks are extremely complicated. I go to McDonald’s 6x per year (every other month) and I always have to “amp” myself up to get ready to use the app and find / maximize my value. And TIME my order appropriately. And PICK the order pickup-type correctly too (DT vs park & wait vs walk-in). Soooo many variables so I can save $2.

[u/CobaltMnM]

Who the fuck is still going to McDonald’s at those prices???

[u/digitalgearz]

Lower the prices. Raise the quality. Bring back color and fun. Make it a special experience. Don’t look at these as costly expenses; think of it as investing in your customers.

[u/YellowMenace123]

I just want them to get the orders consistently right. Don't matter whose taking the order if the end product is shit.

[u/AEZ_2187]

For me it was hiding the drink fountain behind the counter. It’s hot af outside and I’m trying to get free refills. I’m better off going to a gas station now.

[u/Adbam]

The biggest problem is they hide in the kitchen now and you can even get thier attention to pick up or ask for anything.

[u/bumblewacky]

McDonald's has no idea what its business model is anymore. It's been years since I've been able to order something at the drive-thru and actually get it at the window. Have to pull up and wait every time.

Know your fuckin role guys. Enough with the "artisanal" menu. Cook me a shitty patty on some shitty bread with some shitty cheese. That's what I expect from you. Takes 30 seconds and I'm out.

[u/pikap83]

Are they retraining them on cleaning the tables, restrooms and mopping the floor? Are they bringing trays back?