First, McDonald's stopped its "McCafé Bakery". Now, the renowned eatery is phasing out self-serve beverages.
In the coming decade, McDonald's plans to phase out the self-serve drink stations that have been a mainstay in their establishments since 2004. Patrons will now need to seek refills from attendants at the counter.
"This change is intended to create a consistent experience for both customers and crew across all ordering points, whether that’s McDelivery, the app, kiosk, drive-thru or in-restaurant," the company said in a statement.
McDonald's refrained from providing more details regarding the rationale behind this shift.
The firm has indicated that by 2032, the self-serve soda machines will be absent from all its U.S. outlets.
A few eateries in Illinois have already initiated this transition, as noted by the State Journal-Register.
"It’s an evolution towards convenience and (the result of) the growth of digital service," franchise owner Mikel Petro told the newspaper. Petro and his family own and operate 15 McDonald's restaurants in central Illinois.
Local franchise holders highlighted multiple reasons that might have swayed McDonald's choice.
The COVID-19 outbreak nudged numerous eateries to revamp their modus operandi to diminish direct human interaction. The novel crew-dispense system, embraced by the Illinois outlets, will utilize mechanized drink dispensers, as mentioned by the Journal-Register.
Abandoning self-serve not only curtails theft possibilities but also declutters the dining space and accentuates McDonald's focus on table service.
This strategy aligns with the trend of fast-food chains leveraging modern tech to mechanize functions and boost efficiency. As patrons yearn for swifter and more streamlined service, eateries are evolving in response.
Taco Bell started trialing a new setup, which incorporated a four-lane drive-thru alongside an elevated kitchen.
Last season, Panera unveiled its inaugural "Panera To Go" outlet, an exclusively digital bakery-cafe. This move is part of their continued dedication to enhancing "the digital customer journey", which encompasses in-house kiosks, swift pickups, and drive-thru collections.
On the other hand, Wendy's is integrating generative AI into its drive-thru order process and is also in the early stages of testing robot deliveries. CKE Restaurant Holdings, the entity behind Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, has collaborated with OpenCity's AI-driven voice-ordering system in a few of their U.S. locations.
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