McDonald's outsourcing drive-throughs

[Troubleshooter]

Give it time...

[Perry Winkle]

Really, how long until fastfood is done 100% by machines?

You just key in your order and your bag of shit comes out of a little chute.

[breakingnews]

Originally Posted by grant

Really, how long until fastfood is done 100% by machines?

You just key in your order and your bag of shit comes out of a little chute.

It more or less is. Those self-serve machines in Amsterdam are fantastic (conveyor-belt type contraptions that rotate with sliding doors).

I imagine machines do exist that operate like coffee machines - make your choice and the bugger throws your chicken patty sandwich or breakfast burrito in an internal microwave and shakes like a lamb's tail when it's ready for consumption.

[hot_pastrami]

Originally Posted by grant

Really, how long until fastfood is done 100% by machines?

You just key in your order and your bag of shit comes out of a little chute.

True, but I think it'll be awhile before a place like McDonald's is replaced by machines. Building a machine complex enough to produce the largish menu would be expensive, and maintenance would be a bugger. Paying teenagers $5-ish an hour is still pretty economical comparatively.

But there is little doubt it will happen. The distaste of such automation will be bypassed by introducing the McVend in places like themeparks, and it'll have a limited menu. Over time they'll become more complex and more common, until existing restaurants become largely automated.

I'd give about 15-20 years, though.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by grant

Really, how long until fastfood is done 100% by machines?

You just key in your order and your bag of shit comes out of a little chute.

Yup, that's what it is.