McDonald’s Opens Its First Restaurant That’s Mostly Non-Human-Run

To McDonald’s, the possibilites that come with automation are no small fry. As a fast-food giant, getting orders out in quick fashion is first of mind.

So it comes as no surprise that the Golden Arches has opened its first almost fully-automated restaurant that delivers on speed. Located near Fort Worth, Texas, the all-new robotic test branch is smaller than the usual joint, prioritizing meals on the go instead of table service.

Orders are taken at digital kiosks and then dished out through a conveyor belt, in place of human hands. Customers in a rush can order their food on the mobile app before they reach the store, allowing staff (yes, there are still human employees) to prepare the meals just in time for their arrival. There’s a dedicated Order Ahead Lane for the fastest fast-food takeouts.

The parking lot outside the restaurant has spaces allocated for curbside order pickups and an area for delivery drivers to help streamline the process for everyone.

Keith Vanecek, the franchisee in charge of the test restaurant, explains that the futuristic location is all about “[serving] out customers in new, innovative ways,” while enabling human crew to focus on speed and accuracy.

Understandably, the branch’s launch has drawn skepticism about how the future of the human workforce will play out. McDonald’s has long been criticized for compensating workers lower than the average living salary in nearly every state; most staffers under the chain are taking home under US$15 an hour, CBS News reports. Critics have called for the company to raise its minimum wage before even thinking about hiring machines.

The minimum wage in Texas is $7.25/hour. https://t.co/GVqCtW2VpO

— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) December 22, 2022

Others point out that robots aren’t yet as adept at handling less predictable hiccups, such as when customers need to change their orders at the last minute or when they require additional sauce packets.

McDonald’s reiterates with the Guardian that the new location is “not fully automated,” and that human recruitment at this test concept is akin to that of the usual McDonald’s restaurant.

The company says the “test and learn” venture will inspire how future McDonald’s will be designed. “We’re excited to test new ideas and innovations that can potentially benefit restaurant teams and customers around the world,” the fast-food behemoth describes in its press release.

[via CBS News and The Guardian, images via various sources]