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[Bubba T]

McDonald's wants to makes its fast-food outlets feel more like restaurants, with plans to eventually expand table service across its U.S. locations.

The world's biggest burger chain says it has been testing the service at about 500 of its more than 14,000 domestic stores. Customers in those stores order at the counter or at kiosks and sit down and wait for an employee bring out their food, a change that McDonald's says improves customer satisfaction.

McDonald's says it will expand the offering in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., early next year. Bringing the change to all its stores could take years, as it would require franchisees to invest in remodeling and more training for employees.

The push to offer table service like some fast-casual chains do comes as McDonald's tries to stage a comeback after losing customers in recent years, with executives conceding they failed to keep up with changing tastes. Despite a string of announcements intended to drum up excitement--including the introduction of an all-day breakfast menu--customer visits in the U.S. have not increased, the company said.

CEO Steve Easterbrook said going to McDonald's is supposed to be fun, but "the initial stages of it can be quite stressful." He noted that customers are becoming more demanding, and the company is working on making visits to its restaurants more convenient. Next year, the company also plans to introduce a mobile order and pay option.

Even though McDonald's Corp. gets a majority of its sales at the drive-thru in the U.S., the company hopes having table service in restaurants helps improve people's perceptions about the overall experience. Table service and kiosks have already been introduced in other parts of the world, including in the United Kingdom.

The kiosks are also intended to give customers greater flexibility in customizing their orders with different buns and toppings for burgers, while reducing the chances for inaccurate orders. McDonald's has said it is working on reducing inaccurate orders, such as by asking employees to repeat orders back to customers at the drive-thru.

In stores that are remodeled to have the kiosks and table service, the company said it will also be more prominently featuring its McCafe drinks and baked goods. Those are intended to go after the growing snacking habit. Easterbrook said that the traditional three meals are making up less of the opportunity for growth.

How McDonald's Is Designing the Future of Fast Food

The title of the article is off, as Panera Bread and other stores that have been offering this service for years. It is interesting to see how this will turn out.

Anyone been in a McDonalds that offers this?

Oh, and in before automation.

 

[B-Dex]

Canadian McDonalds are all converting to this kiosk nightmare. Prepare for no one to use them and have one till open with a huge line. We don't get the table service part though. The counter was just raised 2 extra feet and they yell out a random order number when it's ready.

 

[mdubs]

Canadian McDonalds are all converting to this kiosk nightmare. Prepare for no one to use them and have one till open with a huge line. We don't get the table service part though. The counter was just raised 2 extra feet and they yell out a random order number when it's ready.

Nah, the kiosks are great. Waiting for my number to get called is the way of the future

 

[Layell]

There are plenty of kiosks in Ontario, I have used them three times now.

One time I did a very customized burger, but took a bit of effort to figure out the interface. It helps that I don't have to wait in line for the dullards who want to ask every random question to the cashier. Then I was able to sit at a table and pick up a newspaper, while someone came and brought me my food. I was more than game.

I did it again when grabbing food for the Sun/Moon launch, was nice seeing my order number and how soon it would be ready.

Also I have no issue with most people not using the kiosk, because chances are I'll get my food faster than them.

 

[Vic]

Nah, the kiosks are great. Waiting for my number to get called is the way of the future

Yeah. Way more organized than before.

 

[Brianimaniac]

I like McDonald's.

I eat more McDonald's than a person should.

But I can't imagine going to McDonald's if I have time to sit down and get food. If it wasn't for the drive-thru, I would never go.

 

[Septimus Prime]

I went to a McD's that tried table service a while back (no order kiosks, though; you still ordered at the counter). It was honestly kind of weird.

 

[KorrZ]

Canadian McDonalds are all converting to this kiosk nightmare. Prepare for no one to use them and have one till open with a huge line. We don't get the table service part though. The counter was just raised 2 extra feet and they yell out a random order number when it's ready.

Love it, while all the idiots are waiting in line I walk right over to the Kiosk and am in and out. This has made my morning coffee trips to McDonalds for work amazing.

Self-checkout, kiosk ordering, bring it on. I'm ready for the automated future.

 

[TemplaerDude]

I don't mind the kiosks when they're working. The dozen or so times I've been in the McDick's by my house there has always (read: every single time) been an issue with the machine. I think they need to adjust the length of the receipt it spits out because it runs out of paper in a busier Dick's way too fast. Either that or come up with a machine that has a few printer rolls backed up.

Totally worked fine this morning when I just wanted to grab a coffee real fast, though. Less people I have to talk to before I am caffeinated the better. I haven't used them to order a burger or anything, I usually just go for coffee and the occasional breakfast bagel.

 

[Ozigizo]

The food will probably still make me sick, though.

 

[mdubs]

Love it, while all the idiots are waiting in line I walk right over to the Kiosk and am in and out. This has made my morning coffee trips to McDonalds for work amazing.

Self-checkout, kiosk ordering, bring it on. I'm ready for the automated future.

Mobile ordering at Starbucks tho

That feel from ordering from my desk, then walking over to Starbucks, grabbing dat coffee and only spending 30 seconds in the store

 

[magenta]

McDonald's Australia has been doing this for a while now. From anecdotal experience table service does not get used (people still waiting for their food near the counter) but the kiosks have been successful.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Two of the McDonalds in the town I live in (in the UK) have kiosks, and I must admit I kinda prefer them - also because they come coupled with an order numbering system similar to Five Guys. I much prefer this setup, especially during lunchtime rush hours. I find a lot of people still don't use kiosks (presumably preferring to use cash), so it makes it incredibly quick to get in, order, and then pick up my food. Even when the kiosks are heavily in use, that each one can service two people, and there's 2-3 of them (2 in one location, 3 at the other) means orders still get sped through at a good pace.

I also realise this probably does end up excusing some downsizing to the higher ups, but its more like they keep the numbers consistent to 2 or 3 behind the counter, like they would in slow hours at other locations.

No clue with the table service though - its there but I never use it.

 

[Guevara]

But are you expected to tip?

 

[Cptkrush]

This has been awesome down here in Florida. My order has been messed up 0 times compared to every time with a human taking my order. Although, some stores get lazy and just call the number instead of bringing it to the table, but most have had great service. My girlfriend and I go once or twice a week for the 2 for 3 nuggets and frappe deal, and noticed the mess ups stopped around when the kiosks started.

 

[KorrZ]

Mobile ordering at Starbucks tho

That feel from ordering from my desk, then walking over to Starbucks, grabbing dat coffee and only spending 30 seconds in the store

The future is beautiful

 

[Jebusman]

I like the kiosk because it hides the shame of me ordering a Big Mac with 10 patties on it until the moment the cook has to put it together.

 

[Seductivpancakes]

The McDonalds next to my campus has those kiosk and they're always in need of repairs.

 

[norm9]

The assholes and dickheads that frequent my local McD's will love being assholes and dickheads to the workers unlucky enough to have to walk in front of the counter to serve them.

 

[dreamcastmaster]

The food will probably still make me sick, though.

What is it with these guys that have to post in every McDonalds topic how sick the food makes them? "Oh look McDonalds topic, better shitpost in there about how I hate the food so much" SMH

 

[Moozo]

The kiosks are great - pay with my phone and take a ticket - but the table service is extremely weird. Come on, it's McDonald's FFS. I refuse to use it.

 

[bigkrev]

In Philadelphia, Wawa, a local conscience store/sandwich chain, has been using kiosks for orders for well over 10 years now and it's been a great thing. You touch in everything you want and have choices like if you want Cucumbers on the side or just a little bit of mayo, and you get a slip printed out that you go to the register to pay for. You get the exact sandwich you want every time, and they are able to crank out orders in similar amounts of time no matter how specific you are because they get a concise list of exactly what you want.

I hope all fast food places switch to kiosks. It saves time for everyone- the cashier doesn't have to struggle to key it in, you don't need to waste time going "is there mayo on this? I don't want mayo".

 

[Abraxas]

I just tried a touch screen McDonalds that had just been remodeled in the UK. Benefits include:
1) longer lines
2) no space for queuing
3) screens facing into the toilet effectively
4) printing a blank receipt (thank god i remembered my order number when it flashed on screen)
5) chaos behind the counter

I imagine it will improve but it was a poor experience nonetheless.

 

[nephilimdj]

I use the KFC express app here in Australia, its much easier just to say your name and pay (wireless credit card or have right cash in hand).
Something that takes 30secs reduced to 5secs.

 

[Voysa Reezun]

They really need to start by making better, less sodium-loaded food.

Panera does this. They were pretty awful at first, but they've gotten better (I wonder if they stole some of the deliciousness from the recipes they got from Paradise Bakery, which they acquired). The service to the table is just a bonus; they actually have delicious sandwiches and surprisingly good coffee.

Get the food right first before you go in on other ways of making the restaurant a place I'll stop for lunch on my break.

 

[Jebusman]

They really need to start by making better, less sodium-loaded food.

Panera

I'm looking at the Panera nutritional chart right now. They seem perfectly content with selling you sandwiches with 1000+mg of sodium in them, so I don't think they're the greatest comparison in the world for "making less sodium-loaded food".

Quite frankly compared to a Big Mac, most (read: some) of those sandwiches from there either beat it out in terms of sodium/fat/carb content, or win only by virtue of being a physically smaller meal calorie wise (in which case the macro ratio goes out the window when you consume 50+% of your recommended sodium on just ~20% of your recommended caloric intake)

I'm not one to sit here and defend the Big Mac by any means, I'm sure those sandwiches from Panera are delicious. But I hope you're not kidding yourself in thinking they're not doing the exact same thing McDonalds does, just with a different flair.