4 ms·

For the "humans are still involved" comments, maybe the article is referring to the fact that these machines allow you to purchase a big mac without having to t

by quineoa 10y ago

For the "humans are still involved" comments, maybe the article is referring to the fact that these machines allow you to purchase a big mac without having to talk to a human. In this situation, the experience of a fast-food purchase is being removed of the small talk, the smiles, the "have a nice day!". And now there are people behind a curtain that you don't see or interact with.

brandon272 10y ago
> In this situation, the experience of a fast-food purchase is being removed of the small talk, the smiles, the "have a nice day!". I think I'm visiting different fast food restaurants. My experience typically involves a challenging conversation through a low quality speaker system and then paying for the order with someone who can barely stand to look at me, much less tell me to have a nice day!
- LanceH 10y ago
  I'm always annoyed by the screen they have at the drive-thru that was supposed to confirm your order, but now only shows ads.
  - r00fus 10y ago
    Not that case for a local (SV) Taco Bell, at least. Good ol' list of items/prices and voice works well I guess, unless you love gimmicks.
- hrodriguez 10y ago
  > paying for the order with someone who can barely stand to look at me, much less tell me to have a nice day! My experience too in lots of places where there's "customer service" involved. I always blame management when I come across employees that obviously can't handle working with the public. A looong time ago, I use to work retail and there was always a couple of people who would have a single bad experience with a customer and then spend the rest of the week taking it out on everyone else. They essentially created the hostility they faced everyday. Management always looked the other way as long as they had the positions filled.
ceejayoz 10y ago
Hardly new, though. The first automats opened in Germany in the late 1800s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat

by quineoa 10y ago

brandon272 10y ago

> In this situation, the experience of a fast-food purchase is being removed of the small talk, the smiles, the "have a nice day!". I think I'm visiting different fast food restaurants. My experience typically involves a challenging conversation through a low quality speaker system and then paying for the order with someone who can barely stand to look at me, much less tell me to have a nice day!

LanceH 10y ago
I'm always annoyed by the screen they have at the drive-thru that was supposed to confirm your order, but now only shows ads.
- r00fus 10y ago
  Not that case for a local (SV) Taco Bell, at least. Good ol' list of items/prices and voice works well I guess, unless you love gimmicks.
hrodriguez 10y ago
> paying for the order with someone who can barely stand to look at me, much less tell me to have a nice day! My experience too in lots of places where there's "customer service" involved. I always blame management when I come across employees that obviously can't handle working with the public. A looong time ago, I use to work retail and there was always a couple of people who would have a single bad experience with a customer and then spend the rest of the week taking it out on everyone else. They essentially created the hostility they faced everyday. Management always looked the other way as long as they had the positions filled.

ceejayoz 10y ago

Hardly new, though. The first automats opened in Germany in the late 1800s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat