Submission by Dr. Glenn Mollette
Self-service ordering kiosks have become common at McDonald’s, Taco Bell and many other fast-food restaurants, replacing many face-to-face interactions with touchscreens. While some customers appreciate the speed and convenience of digital ordering, others find the kiosks frustrating, impersonal and slower than ordering from a cashier.
Taco Bell, McDonald’s and various other eateries have them stationed in many of their stores. On more than one occasion, I have tried to place an order the old-fashioned way and have been totally ignored. A couple of times, I simply got back in my car and ordered at the drive-thru. Everything was the same there, with no worries. I just said, “Give me a chicken burrito supreme.” I pulled up to the window, paid for my food, received my burrito and drove on my merry way.
There have also been occasions when some nice soul came to the counter and took my order. I always make a point of thanking the person for doing so.
Often, one or two people are waiting to use the kiosk. They peck and poke around, adding and subtracting cheese, sauces and lettuce or adding something extra. I sometimes start wondering whether they are playing some type of Las Vegas game. I am not really impatient, but my patience wears thin when I am starving and traveling.
There is no perfect world, but I liked the good old days when you walked into McDonald’s and three or four nice people were ready to take your order. They took my order for a cheeseburger, fries and a Coke, then handed me a tray of food for a reasonable price. It was simply fun. Today, it is not fun at many fast-food eateries. It is peck and poke on a screen. They wear me out.
Recently, I saw a man walk out of the restroom in front of me without washing his hands. He went straight to the kiosk to place an order. How many times does this happen every day? How did these contraptions even come into existence after COVID-19?
People touch plenty of things, including credit card readers and door handles. Just add menu-ordering kiosks to the list.
I suppose restaurant owners love the kiosks, but are they really making more money or saving on employee expenses? Are they working? Have they made running the business easier? The fact that I do not care for them is unlikely to change anything. However, the Hardee’s and Burger King around the corner from where I live still take my order at the counter. That is where I find myself going when I am in the mood for that kind of food. Time will tell whether choices like mine make any difference.
Self-service kiosks may work for some customers, while others choose the drive-thru or restaurants that still take orders at the counter. Businesses will eventually find out whether those choices make a difference.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is the author of 15 books. He is a graduate of Georgetown College, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky. He founded Newburgh Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana. His column is published by more than 600 media outlets nationwide.
Featured photo: Tim Malone, www.timmalone.id.au, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons
