McDonald's Just Announced a Big Change to Its Drive-Thrus. (If you guessed AI, come on down!)

[usonian]

https://www.allrecipes.com/mcdonalds-ai-drive-thru-change-11991109

At the McDonald's Worldwide convention this week, the chain announced plans to change its drive-thrus in a major way. Nearly two years after it discontinued its AI ordering system, McDonald's says it plans to roll out a new AI-based operating system at all restaurants.

McDonald's Announces New ArchIQ AI-Operating System
A few years ago, McDonald's joined the likes of Wendy's and Taco Bell in testing AI-powered ordering systems at its drive-thrus. The ordering chatbots were made in partnership with IBM and released at more than 100 McDonald's restaurants.

snip

"Archy will not only assist drive-thru orders but act as a master brain to help managers run a better restaurant. It’s like a personal assistant that alerts you to potential bottlenecks or issues," @McFranchisee writes.

For example, "I'm sorry, Dave, I ordered me some new GPU's instead of all-beef patties this week."

McDonald's new ArchIQ system is only just in the testing phase, and the chain hasn't shared which five restaurant locations are currently using the AI drive-thru. The X post seems to suggest that Mickey D's is expecting a successful test if it's already installing the Google ( Edge Cloud blades) system at every restaurant. But, it's still not clear when you could see Archy at your local drive-thru.

If an "ALL AI" ordering system takes over, how long until "ALL AI" food?



ALL ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS

Asking for a friend.


And what if the vendor is overthrown in favor of Musk?

[bucolic_frolic]

1. What does a Big Mac cost these days?

Haven't been in a McDonald's since about 2009.

Always did love drive-thru though, especially when the food was ice cold or there was no burger on the burger or sausage on the bun. Gotta keep the line moving!

[usonian]

2. Thank you for not asking Claude. But it's an easy internet lookup.

Price varies by location. Average is about $5.25

Of course, when *I* worked there ...

A big mac cost $0.45
Forty Five Cents

T-Bird not included.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. That's back in the pure food era, about 1963

I thought the Big Mac intro'd about 1976.

[usonian]

5. The Internet says:

The absolute price of Big Mac in the the United States has gone from $0.45 in 1966 to $5.15 in 2023.

https://moneynotmoney.com/historical-price-of-big-mac-in-united-states/

[Starbeach]

10. Alum Here

Big Mac introduced late 60s I believe. I'm also a McD alum. Still remember the fright I felt when a line of people stared you down because the food was slow.

[bucolic_frolic]

11. The internet is telling me Egg McMuffin was intro'd in 1975.

It's possible that at local franchises they had coupons good on either/or McMuffin, Big Mac.

1/4 Pounder national rollout 1973. That must be what I recall.

[Raven123]

4. A "master brain" ? What a choice of words.

[mr715]

6. So many wrong orders...

[a kennedy]

7. and let's talk their fish sandwich.......lived on it back in the day when "no meat on Fridays" was

my life. Absolutely loved their fish sandwich. It’s pure, in Elaine’s from Seinfeld language, fake, fake, fake, fake. But I loved it back in my Catholic days.

[Blue Full Moon]

8. Maybe the robots will buy their food.

[struggle4progress]

9. "You try to buy what you want! Then we actually sell you what we want!

We don't think your order is really what you want, so we're making changes! It's a very hot day so we' think you'll be happiest with a $10 medium coke with extra ice! We cooked too many fries for lunch and we don't intend to toss them at closing, so you're also buying two large fries with that! And we've added you to our new autopay program!"