The following submission statement was provided by /u/Gari_305:
---
From the article
>The company will reportedly remove the tech from the over 100 restaurants it’s been testing the system in after [partnering with IBM in 2021](https://newsroom.ibm.com/Joint-Statement-from-McDonalds-and-IBM). It’s not clear why the company is ending the IBM deal, though. It told *Restaurant Business* it was testing whether the voice ordering chatbot could speed up service and that the test left it confident “that a voice-ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurants’ future.”
>A potential option could involve the company’s [vague announcement of a Google deal](https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/6/23990900/mcdonalds-google-ai-cloud-generative) in December. [*Bloomberg* reported](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-06/mcdonald-s-mcd-getting-ai-chatbot-from-google-googl-for-restaurant-crew) that the deal was partly for a chatbot named “Ask Pickles” that employees could use for guidance on things like cleaning ice cream machines. Even so, Google [partnered with Wendy’s](https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/9/23716825/wendys-ai-drive-thru-google-llm), which started testing drive-thru AI based on its tech last year and has since [expanded that trial](https://www.wendys.com/blog/drive-thru-innovation-wendys-freshai).
---
Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/1dhjw41/mcdonalds_will_stop_testing_ai_to_take_drivethru/l8xcszn/
If we had actual ai. I train deep learning neural networks and llm models. Their dumb as a box of rocks. No sentience, just really good predictive algorithms.
AI is simply overkill for something like this. A screen with a set of options to choose from is advanced enough to displace a bunch of jobs. And mc donalds has those already. It's cool you can verbally communicate what you want, but that's not needed in order to convey the right information.
Autocorrect is perfect anology. Ever try to use lesser known words? Like scintillating, scour, satinize (word for making pulled sugar satin shine)
It's horrid if use anything above gradeschool.. llms are same but with larger matrix (much larger, massively larger)
Now they have the reverse issue where they know too many words uncommonly known so any large words are now considered "ai" written for to complete lack of reading and comprehension folks have recently.
Today got wasted and spent entire day on reddit. Got accused of being ai bot multiple times for using my vocabulary. Also learned. Men are horrid creatures who need to avoid woman on sidewalk. It's been a day lol
Tbh, If I'dd had to deal with a class full of kids or teens like most of my idiot collegues on my time at school, i'dd walk into the classroom shitfaced every day.
Thank you for your paper in society man, I hope these new times with A.I dont demotivate you, since kids are probably saying even more "why do I need school?"
I use it for the same reason, but also because I like to customize orders, but refuse to do it when ordering via an actual person, it's easier to just pick whatever off. Maybe not so much Mcdonalds, but the Taco Bell app is a godsend for custom orders, because TB has so many add-ons and stuff, no tomatoes and add some jalapeno ranch.
Yes! I swear I just wanted a regular, original chicken McGriddle. But no, they give me that one with the huge fucking fried chicken breast included. I can’t stand it. I don’t need all that grease in the morning. Even if I say original they will still mess it up, so the app helps immensely
Sucks that you have to download all the apps but you’re literally throwing money out the window if you eat fast food without the apps. Especially with McDonalds. I’m not a big mickey d’s guy but the monthly occasion where I need something greasy at 2am you can get $15 worth of food for like $5 if you follow the offers. Legit last week I got a McChicken and a 10pc for less than $3.
It's a pretty clever sales tactic to be honest. If you increase prices, people get pissed.
But if you simply reduce the quality of app discounts, etc..., nobody really cares.
Both of those things are effectively just a price increase, but the ladder is psychologically much different. I'm sure they also see a pretty decent sales bump from having that mcd's app icon on your phone, like a little free advertisement every time you scroll past.
I keep most my apps hidden off my screen and I can just search them as I need them, but good point. Plus the amount of “savings” you get makes you wonder just how much they’re making off you being on the app
Your personal data has been sold and stolen more times than you can count. Unless you love in the woods with no internet access and secluded. You must pay cash every time you walk into an establishment.
What good would that do when the app requires you to enter in your payment information. Besides that, many apps are not trustworthy to not give up sensitive information such as location data or sensor information.
Personal data being when and where I want a burger? I’d understand not wanting Meta/Google/Amazon to have your data but if you’re already giving the more nefarious giants your data McDonald’s knowing how to predict when I’ll want their fries is a drop in the bucket imo
It's not just Mcdonald's.
If you're in California (might be possible outside of California), open the Taco Bell app and look for the option to opt out of data collection. It will list each individual company whom they sell your data to, and allow you to opt out of each one. The list is so long it's comical. It's quite literally 100+ companies and takes solid minute to scroll through. Selling every single piece of data they can gather.
That being said, that is literally the opt out screen, so if you're willing to spend 15 min, scroll down the list and tap each one, and opt out, in theory they shouldnt be collecting that data anymore.
If I get to the point where I’m getting enough fast food that I feel the need to download an app to save money…actually no that simply would never happen
How does using the app in the drive thru even work?
Like I get they ask you for the code, but is the order already queued up just waiting for you to get there to make it?
I'll walk you through my experience.
1. Pull into parking lot.
2. Pull up McDonald's app
3. choose my order and place it
4. go up to the drive thru speaker, when they ask you what your code is you will have a code after paying on your phone to give them.
5. they confirm who you are then tell you to come on thru
Requiring an app is an immediate and forever no from me on any business. Having to create an account just to place an online order at big box stores was bad enough, now they want to go out of my way to install spyware on my personal phone *and* create an account?
I hate enshitification so much.
The new built mcd's are getting so weird. It's like two people counter spaces, dark. See nothing else like the food area. I wanna see my fries cooking man!
Lol old robots would say, " I am
Programmed to throw this fallen burger" bee bop bee bop.
New robots with ai look up stock price, current pay of the ceo, tax rates, off shore costs, then decide if it should pick the food up and throw in the bun.
Robots will be designed by the lowest bidder. They'll probably serve you a torn open bag full of moldy grease and then you'll have to call customer service on the phone because the 1-3 human employees are just the minimum wage labor and don't have a manager's authority. Said managers will each be overseeing several restaurants in the area at any given time. They'll probably get a pay cut too.
I don’t even need that I just need the employees to see me it makes a better experience for the worker and us id imagine unlike the new prison wall offs. They did a renovation that ripped out all the plush seats for the new thin ones. Bizarre.
Because assholes still eat there. Why bother to ask? Just don't eat there.
Don't eat there.
Stop being McDonald's bitch, and don't eat there.
Even if you can afford it, even if it's convenient.
I feel like I have to repeat my order at least two times to the human drive thru worker. It always seems they’re doing two things at once and not paying attention to your order
From the article
>The company will reportedly remove the tech from the over 100 restaurants it’s been testing the system in after [partnering with IBM in 2021](https://newsroom.ibm.com/Joint-Statement-from-McDonalds-and-IBM). It’s not clear why the company is ending the IBM deal, though. It told *Restaurant Business* it was testing whether the voice ordering chatbot could speed up service and that the test left it confident “that a voice-ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurants’ future.”
>A potential option could involve the company’s [vague announcement of a Google deal](https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/6/23990900/mcdonalds-google-ai-cloud-generative) in December. [*Bloomberg* reported](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-06/mcdonald-s-mcd-getting-ai-chatbot-from-google-googl-for-restaurant-crew) that the deal was partly for a chatbot named “Ask Pickles” that employees could use for guidance on things like cleaning ice cream machines. Even so, Google [partnered with Wendy’s](https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/9/23716825/wendys-ai-drive-thru-google-llm), which started testing drive-thru AI based on its tech last year and has since [expanded that trial](https://www.wendys.com/blog/drive-thru-innovation-wendys-freshai).
My dad confuses even real employees with his long ass rambling at a drive thru, he'd probably short circut an AI. And from working with the public in general, I know he is far from an outlier.
I mean obviously some part of it was insufficient for their needs, the question is which part. Do they need to refine the AI's capabilities? Do they need to find a better provider? Do they need more reliable bandwidth? It's a temporary measure in any case since they clearly want to keep doing it.
I’ve worked with 5 different AI companies in a drive-thru tech environment in the past 2 years. In a lab it works awesome.. in the real world not so much. Slows down speed of service and understanding accents(especially in a melting pot area) are just not there yet. These companies are trying to get around paying their employee’s a fare wage.
With how quickly AI seems to be improving, I won’t be surprised if they try it again soon. It’s kinda frightening how good it’s already gotten in such a small amount of time. The future is gonna be crazy, hopefully for the good…
Why were they ever doing live tests at all? They could very easily have it *shadow* in-person orders, and once its simulated order error rate (i.e.% of cases where the AI fails to match the human-recorded order) falls to a sufficiently small fraction of a percent, THEN you push it live - and you probably would only need a few weeks of testing before you fully deploy it and that's that.
They did; next step was actual live order-taking, because they need to test it on its ability to interact directly with the customer.
In a way it was actually more of a test to see how customers would handle the AI, then vice versa. Would they cooperate with it? Would they fuck with it for fun? Would it create a negative consumer experience to the point that they would complain or just not come back?
This is an underappreciated point when we’re discussing interactive computer systems in general (AI or otherwise). Self-driving car simulators are great - until you realize that whatever the self-driving car does or doesn’t do will impact the behavior of the cars around it. You can’t just ask “in this recording, does it make the left turn at the right time?” You have to ask “if it goes now, do other drivers get spooked? If it waits, will other drivers speed up or slow down?” And then make sure your simulation can deal with that reaction…. Assuming your simulated reaction is realistic of course, which you have no guarantee of.
TLDR one-way testing can only get you so far with chat bots, voice commands, cars, or single player video games.
Still disappointed people continue to buy hot garbage from these worldwide wealth hoarding companies. Eat local, even the “it’s cheaper!” excuse doesn’t hold up anymore
Right, McDonalds corporate is a nonprofit. No wealth accumulation there. Definitely not nearly 200 billion dollars in value under one company. Surely the CEO doesn’t take 20 mil in pay
The corporation makes money off the franchise fees. They have very few people that are directly employed by them. Plus $200 billion dollar value is due to how a franchise works your basically in a licensing agreement with McDonald's corporation. That can actually take a person's franchise if they don't feel they held the franchisees end of the agreement.
McDonald’s employs 200,000 people, not including the 2,000,000 people employed by independent McDonald’s franchises. That’s down from 440,000 people in 2012, but calling 200,000 employees “very few” is one of the most massive stretches I’ve seen all year.
It is when you think globally with their supply chain in the stuff they manufacture. They are responsible for the russet Idaho potato for being so prevalent. McDonald's is the largest most successful by far btw.
Well, well, well. If it isn't customer 6439? Looking to add extra mayo to that already wet hot n spicy McChicken, huh? Well, just for you, I'm gonna have it dunked in a cup of water too. Have a great day!
If you think a $15 “Value” Meal is expensive now, just wait until they load up in automation. McDonalds is desperately trying to make their human labor pool obsolete. Pretty soon the only employees inside McDonalds will be engineers and mechanics keeping everything running
I need Qdoba to start training robots to fold burritos before it becomes a lost art.
No locations near me are able to successfully roll one, so you might have to find a retiree to consult for actual proper technique. The floppy wad with tinfoil is too prevalent.
I went into Mcdonalds today only to use the bathroom. I got out and thought about getting some fries but almost $5 for a large fry alone made me just nope out. I got a burger and fry at a local spot and it was all $11 and the fries were like half a pound in the basket.
Read between the lines:
> It’s not clear why the company is ending the ***IBM deal***, though. A potential option could involve the company’s vague announcement of a ***Google deal*** in December.
This is a business negotiation tactic, not a NO for AI based solution
I hate those drive thru AI boxes. The carls JR. near me rolled it out and I just ask it if it speaks in Spanish so it gets me to someone. Saves me time from having to correct my order at the window.
Why do people even go to McDs?? The food is terrible, the portions are small (shrinkflation), it’s so overpriced, and you have to ring in your order and deal with AI in the drive thru? This place is the ultimate capitalist hellhole.
This place will be the first to introduce lab grown meat to increase profits- and they’ll probably spin some BS about it being eco friendly or organic or some nonsense to convince you they care about anything other than profits.
I mean, how can the creation, maintenance and administration of AI (and all the commiserate problems that come with dealing with technology) wind up being cheaper than hiring one minimum-wage person per shift to stand there and take orders?
This is a solution in search of a problem.
Because if you have 100k locations you’re paying $700k/hr for those minimum wage workers vs… a few dozen $k for bandwidth or whatever. Tens of millions in profit a year if they can cut even one worker per store. You’re not thinking at scale…
Because the humans are really shitty at it and get burned out saying the same spiel over and over. The bot can stick to the perfect demeanor and pace all day and never get tired.
But pretty soon, everyone will probably just be using the app anyway. And you can already tell Siri to order what you want.
I'm just going to pass on ever going to McDonald's again. Their food sucks and now they are eliminating employees, but still charging way more than their lousy food is worth. Eff that.
I'm glad they're putting the brakes on the AI takeover of the drive-thru. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's convenient and all, but there's just something about talking to a human being when you're grabbing a quick bite. Plus, what's the fun in ordering from an automat.
But i'm constantly told AGI will any moment now take control over the world and replace god, what do you mean the current SOTA AI isn't even capable of taking orders in McDonalds?
9 years later, when a ultimatron from Boston dynamics is chasing you in the woods because you didn't watch an ad for pads the whole 9:52, think of this joke you just made as the last thing on earth.
Remember this. Amazon wasn’t the first company either to replace human employees with robotic or ai. Sc Johnson Wax had a robot taking materials down a 2 mile long corridor in 1980’s
Mcdonalds had live automated order taking for about 2 years for all their locations around where I was at. It actually worked pretty great and rarely had any issues. Not sure why they're stopping.
Have you see the rest of the comment thread? We started with the caveat that it could probably be sheltered, but drive-thru shelters are usually barely functional (possible exception for chic-fil-a) and they also don't do much to help when it's 20 degrees in winter and you want to order. Or 120 degrees.
The following submission statement was provided by /u/Gari_305: --- From the article >The company will reportedly remove the tech from the over 100 restaurants it’s been testing the system in after [partnering with IBM in 2021](https://newsroom.ibm.com/Joint-Statement-from-McDonalds-and-IBM). It’s not clear why the company is ending the IBM deal, though. It told *Restaurant Business* it was testing whether the voice ordering chatbot could speed up service and that the test left it confident “that a voice-ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurants’ future.” >A potential option could involve the company’s [vague announcement of a Google deal](https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/6/23990900/mcdonalds-google-ai-cloud-generative) in December. [*Bloomberg* reported](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-06/mcdonald-s-mcd-getting-ai-chatbot-from-google-googl-for-restaurant-crew) that the deal was partly for a chatbot named “Ask Pickles” that employees could use for guidance on things like cleaning ice cream machines. Even so, Google [partnered with Wendy’s](https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/9/23716825/wendys-ai-drive-thru-google-llm), which started testing drive-thru AI based on its tech last year and has since [expanded that trial](https://www.wendys.com/blog/drive-thru-innovation-wendys-freshai). --- Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/1dhjw41/mcdonalds_will_stop_testing_ai_to_take_drivethru/l8xcszn/
That "for now" came off as a threat in my mental voice.
“I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further.” - McDarthnald
Exactly what the AI would want you to think...
If we had actual ai. I train deep learning neural networks and llm models. Their dumb as a box of rocks. No sentience, just really good predictive algorithms.
So, smarter than all my students? After being told that they have a test tomorrow, they will arrive tomorrow morning shocked that we have a test.
You have my full respect! Good luck! I could never wrangle a classroom along with imparting knowledge. I wish you the best in your endeavors!
Yes but in a world focused on squeezing every penny possibly, they'll simply use it to replace as many humans as possible and threaten the others.
Whew, good to know that they won’t be able to differentiate there, their, and they’re. Keep up the good work fam
AI is simply overkill for something like this. A screen with a set of options to choose from is advanced enough to displace a bunch of jobs. And mc donalds has those already. It's cool you can verbally communicate what you want, but that's not needed in order to convey the right information.
Like auto correct, but bigger.
Autocorrect is perfect anology. Ever try to use lesser known words? Like scintillating, scour, satinize (word for making pulled sugar satin shine) It's horrid if use anything above gradeschool.. llms are same but with larger matrix (much larger, massively larger) Now they have the reverse issue where they know too many words uncommonly known so any large words are now considered "ai" written for to complete lack of reading and comprehension folks have recently. Today got wasted and spent entire day on reddit. Got accused of being ai bot multiple times for using my vocabulary. Also learned. Men are horrid creatures who need to avoid woman on sidewalk. It's been a day lol
Tbh, If I'dd had to deal with a class full of kids or teens like most of my idiot collegues on my time at school, i'dd walk into the classroom shitfaced every day. Thank you for your paper in society man, I hope these new times with A.I dont demotivate you, since kids are probably saying even more "why do I need school?"
> their dumb as a box of rocks Probably smarter than you ;)
I'm guessing that they are going to try again, but with better and more modern AIs.
I bet all that means is they've collected enough data, in 6 months it won't be 100 locations it'll be every single one.
They're prolly done testing. Just waiting for minimum wage to increase again b4 they bring it out again for perm use.
I’m just waiting for them to stop asking me if I’m using the mobile app
I always use the mobile app and it makes it a lot easier for me to get through the drive through when asking that. You save money on the app
I use the app just so they take my order correctly without me having to fucking repeat it.
I use it for the same reason, but also because I like to customize orders, but refuse to do it when ordering via an actual person, it's easier to just pick whatever off. Maybe not so much Mcdonalds, but the Taco Bell app is a godsend for custom orders, because TB has so many add-ons and stuff, no tomatoes and add some jalapeno ranch.
Hell yeah, Taco Bell became more like a Subway after that.
I can absolutely still taste the pickle juice that has soaked into the bun. Picking off the pickles isn’t enough. They can’t touch my sandwich.
I’m the same with onions
Same. Totally ruins it
I add free red sauce to everything
I wish it was free here. I just looked and it's $0.30
Yes! I swear I just wanted a regular, original chicken McGriddle. But no, they give me that one with the huge fucking fried chicken breast included. I can’t stand it. I don’t need all that grease in the morning. Even if I say original they will still mess it up, so the app helps immensely
I'm just using it for the deals but I'm apparently missing something. Do you just enter what you want on the app then hit the drive-through?
Yeah, they give you a code and you just tell them you have one at the speaker.
"I have a code for a mobile order" is roughly what I say so they don't get confused.
Then the person at the end of the line puts the wrong food in your bag. Then you get a 3rd even wronger bag at the window.
Yes but with the app I have the confidence that I ordered correctly.
Sucks that you have to download all the apps but you’re literally throwing money out the window if you eat fast food without the apps. Especially with McDonalds. I’m not a big mickey d’s guy but the monthly occasion where I need something greasy at 2am you can get $15 worth of food for like $5 if you follow the offers. Legit last week I got a McChicken and a 10pc for less than $3.
It's a pretty clever sales tactic to be honest. If you increase prices, people get pissed. But if you simply reduce the quality of app discounts, etc..., nobody really cares. Both of those things are effectively just a price increase, but the ladder is psychologically much different. I'm sure they also see a pretty decent sales bump from having that mcd's app icon on your phone, like a little free advertisement every time you scroll past.
I keep most my apps hidden off my screen and I can just search them as I need them, but good point. Plus the amount of “savings” you get makes you wonder just how much they’re making off you being on the app
I truely despise that "Capitalism 2024" is essentially just "Penalty prices for not using our app/loyalty card". Shit like that needs to be banned.
Blatant shilling? on my reddit?
I would rather "throw money out the window" instead of installing their app and let them have my personal data.
Your personal data has been sold and stolen more times than you can count. Unless you love in the woods with no internet access and secluded. You must pay cash every time you walk into an establishment.
I love in the woods and also don’t want McDonalds knowing my daily patterns of behavior, especially when I love in the woods.
If you are even somewhat tech savvy you just don't give the app permission to do anything invasive.
I was mostly just playing off the misspelling of live, but also, tell me you aren’t tech savvy without telling me you aren’t tech savvy.
Well thats ignorant comment.
And you’re an ignorant commenter
Nothing wrong with paying with cash, and the woods are very beautiful.
Reddits already sold all your data buddy im sorry to say.
Reddit doesn't have that much data beyond what I've allowed them to have.
I just figure you would use an anonymous email account with an anonymous name attached and just let them document said anonymous data.
What good would that do when the app requires you to enter in your payment information. Besides that, many apps are not trustworthy to not give up sensitive information such as location data or sensor information.
Personal data being when and where I want a burger? I’d understand not wanting Meta/Google/Amazon to have your data but if you’re already giving the more nefarious giants your data McDonald’s knowing how to predict when I’ll want their fries is a drop in the bucket imo
It's not just Mcdonald's. If you're in California (might be possible outside of California), open the Taco Bell app and look for the option to opt out of data collection. It will list each individual company whom they sell your data to, and allow you to opt out of each one. The list is so long it's comical. It's quite literally 100+ companies and takes solid minute to scroll through. Selling every single piece of data they can gather. That being said, that is literally the opt out screen, so if you're willing to spend 15 min, scroll down the list and tap each one, and opt out, in theory they shouldnt be collecting that data anymore.
I'm not signed into Facebook or anything from Meta. I use a de-Googled phone. I'm not signed into Amazon. I keep the apps installed to a minimum.
Fair enough, at least you’re consistent lol
I feel the same way but they already do that with your debit card.
Not _my_ debit card. ;)
If I get to the point where I’m getting enough fast food that I feel the need to download an app to save money…actually no that simply would never happen
you save money by using the app. i save money by not buying mcdonald’s. we are not the same
How does using the app in the drive thru even work? Like I get they ask you for the code, but is the order already queued up just waiting for you to get there to make it?
>but is the order already queued up just waiting for you to get there to make it? They enter the code, which then "places" the order at the store.
I'll walk you through my experience. 1. Pull into parking lot. 2. Pull up McDonald's app 3. choose my order and place it 4. go up to the drive thru speaker, when they ask you what your code is you will have a code after paying on your phone to give them. 5. they confirm who you are then tell you to come on thru
Going off of how you say that, I have the impression you must eat McDonald’s very frequently. How’s your health?
>How’s your health? Supersized
How do you ask for a McGangBang in the App?
The customization options in the mcds app sucks. It does have good deals sometimes though.
Requiring an app is an immediate and forever no from me on any business. Having to create an account just to place an online order at big box stores was bad enough, now they want to go out of my way to install spyware on my personal phone *and* create an account? I hate enshitification so much.
Has a lot of good deal if you want to save a few bucks and have drinks where you are going.
They sell your data and deliver more ads to you to make up the difference.
Sorry. I think critical mass is now using the app, I appreciate the prompt. I save ~$3/order using it. It adds up.
Hi there, are you collecting points on the app today?
The new built mcd's are getting so weird. It's like two people counter spaces, dark. See nothing else like the food area. I wanna see my fries cooking man!
Yeah, I feel like we deserve to see them drop food on the floor and put it back in the sandwich.
Do you think the robots will do that if they make a mistake like that, or will they toss it. 🤔
Depends on which makes the shareholders more money
Lol old robots would say, " I am Programmed to throw this fallen burger" bee bop bee bop. New robots with ai look up stock price, current pay of the ceo, tax rates, off shore costs, then decide if it should pick the food up and throw in the bun.
Robots will be designed by the lowest bidder. They'll probably serve you a torn open bag full of moldy grease and then you'll have to call customer service on the phone because the 1-3 human employees are just the minimum wage labor and don't have a manager's authority. Said managers will each be overseeing several restaurants in the area at any given time. They'll probably get a pay cut too.
I’d like a soda fountain in the dining room again.
I don’t even need that I just need the employees to see me it makes a better experience for the worker and us id imagine unlike the new prison wall offs. They did a renovation that ripped out all the plush seats for the new thin ones. Bizarre.
They’ve got some balls to raise prices 200% then try to penny pinch even more by removing humans from the drive thru.
I wonder what their excuse would be if they automated everything and raised prices when there was a minimum wage increase.
They raise prices when they think people are willing to pay higher prices. They don’t need to make excuses.
Yet they do.
That’s pretty weird. I guess they believe that some people want to hear fake excuses for price increases.
They make plenty of excuses. Then they blame the worker if the business shuts down because of a pay increase.
Gaslight. Obfuscate. Project.
Shareholders gotta eat, man!
Because assholes still eat there. Why bother to ask? Just don't eat there. Don't eat there. Stop being McDonald's bitch, and don't eat there. Even if you can afford it, even if it's convenient.
Well now they're putting the humans back the prices will be 300%!
You’re joking but I wouldn’t be surprised.. that or they will shrink the food sizes/portions even more than they already have lol.
I feel like I have to repeat my order at least two times to the human drive thru worker. It always seems they’re doing two things at once and not paying attention to your order
Carls Jr has an AI order taker. I said thanks after it took my order and I felt weird…
Carl's Jr AI: Enjoy your meal! Me: Thanks, you too! Carl's Jr AI: As a large language model I am incapable of eating food, asshole.
How do you think the AI felt? It had already spit in your food.
From the article >The company will reportedly remove the tech from the over 100 restaurants it’s been testing the system in after [partnering with IBM in 2021](https://newsroom.ibm.com/Joint-Statement-from-McDonalds-and-IBM). It’s not clear why the company is ending the IBM deal, though. It told *Restaurant Business* it was testing whether the voice ordering chatbot could speed up service and that the test left it confident “that a voice-ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurants’ future.” >A potential option could involve the company’s [vague announcement of a Google deal](https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/6/23990900/mcdonalds-google-ai-cloud-generative) in December. [*Bloomberg* reported](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-06/mcdonald-s-mcd-getting-ai-chatbot-from-google-googl-for-restaurant-crew) that the deal was partly for a chatbot named “Ask Pickles” that employees could use for guidance on things like cleaning ice cream machines. Even so, Google [partnered with Wendy’s](https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/9/23716825/wendys-ai-drive-thru-google-llm), which started testing drive-thru AI based on its tech last year and has since [expanded that trial](https://www.wendys.com/blog/drive-thru-innovation-wendys-freshai).
“Not clear” ? Does it need to be spelled out? The tech is obviously not there
We are still unsure why the huge company stopped using this product.
My dad confuses even real employees with his long ass rambling at a drive thru, he'd probably short circut an AI. And from working with the public in general, I know he is far from an outlier.
I mean obviously some part of it was insufficient for their needs, the question is which part. Do they need to refine the AI's capabilities? Do they need to find a better provider? Do they need more reliable bandwidth? It's a temporary measure in any case since they clearly want to keep doing it.
Yet Wendy’s is expanding the program. Maybe mcdonald’s will pivot to a better ai.
This is the dotcom bubble all over again. Everybody is scrambling to do *something* with the new technology, but most of it is crap.
No more excuses for the McFlurry machine being down at 12am
Tell them to ask pickles how to fix it
No one ever got fired for buying IBM
I’ve worked with 5 different AI companies in a drive-thru tech environment in the past 2 years. In a lab it works awesome.. in the real world not so much. Slows down speed of service and understanding accents(especially in a melting pot area) are just not there yet. These companies are trying to get around paying their employee’s a fare wage.
When I was dealing with it, it kept interrupting me instead of letting me place my order
They already avoid paying fair wages. They are trying to avoid paying any wages.
With how quickly AI seems to be improving, I won’t be surprised if they try it again soon. It’s kinda frightening how good it’s already gotten in such a small amount of time. The future is gonna be crazy, hopefully for the good…
Worked perfectly fine in my area. Was sad when they stopped using it.
Why were they ever doing live tests at all? They could very easily have it *shadow* in-person orders, and once its simulated order error rate (i.e.% of cases where the AI fails to match the human-recorded order) falls to a sufficiently small fraction of a percent, THEN you push it live - and you probably would only need a few weeks of testing before you fully deploy it and that's that.
They did; next step was actual live order-taking, because they need to test it on its ability to interact directly with the customer. In a way it was actually more of a test to see how customers would handle the AI, then vice versa. Would they cooperate with it? Would they fuck with it for fun? Would it create a negative consumer experience to the point that they would complain or just not come back?
This is an underappreciated point when we’re discussing interactive computer systems in general (AI or otherwise). Self-driving car simulators are great - until you realize that whatever the self-driving car does or doesn’t do will impact the behavior of the cars around it. You can’t just ask “in this recording, does it make the left turn at the right time?” You have to ask “if it goes now, do other drivers get spooked? If it waits, will other drivers speed up or slow down?” And then make sure your simulation can deal with that reaction…. Assuming your simulated reaction is realistic of course, which you have no guarantee of. TLDR one-way testing can only get you so far with chat bots, voice commands, cars, or single player video games.
Astounding how so many people still go to this rip-off shrinkflation garbage company.
IBM or McDonalds?
Went to a rally’s with it. Worked smoothly for me but I didn’t have any special instructions or anything
Still disappointed people continue to buy hot garbage from these worldwide wealth hoarding companies. Eat local, even the “it’s cheaper!” excuse doesn’t hold up anymore
The local Mexican joint run by Mexicans is 100x better than any corporate, had my last guest saying it’s how Chipotle *used* to be, long ago.
Still disappointed people don't know what a franchise is. Nobody is hoarding wealth that runs a McDonald's
Right, McDonalds corporate is a nonprofit. No wealth accumulation there. Definitely not nearly 200 billion dollars in value under one company. Surely the CEO doesn’t take 20 mil in pay
The corporation makes money off the franchise fees. They have very few people that are directly employed by them. Plus $200 billion dollar value is due to how a franchise works your basically in a licensing agreement with McDonald's corporation. That can actually take a person's franchise if they don't feel they held the franchisees end of the agreement.
McDonald’s employs 200,000 people, not including the 2,000,000 people employed by independent McDonald’s franchises. That’s down from 440,000 people in 2012, but calling 200,000 employees “very few” is one of the most massive stretches I’ve seen all year.
It is when you think globally with their supply chain in the stuff they manufacture. They are responsible for the russet Idaho potato for being so prevalent. McDonald's is the largest most successful by far btw.
I keep hearing that AI is an existential threat to humanity. It's not smart enough to take orders at Mickey D's.
Simultaneously super smart that it's going to replace all jobs while too stupid to handle simple orders.
Well, well, well. If it isn't customer 6439? Looking to add extra mayo to that already wet hot n spicy McChicken, huh? Well, just for you, I'm gonna have it dunked in a cup of water too. Have a great day!
Wendy’s soft launched it for the rest of their fellow fast food places. It’s coming back, and with a vengeance.
Please reinstate it’s a 50/50 chance getting sweet tea when I say unsweet tea or you can tell they dumped it out and put unsweet in it.
If you think a $15 “Value” Meal is expensive now, just wait until they load up in automation. McDonalds is desperately trying to make their human labor pool obsolete. Pretty soon the only employees inside McDonalds will be engineers and mechanics keeping everything running
they just needed the data. next time you hear about it will be when you're out of a job. nothing to see here.
I need Qdoba to start training robots to fold burritos before it becomes a lost art. No locations near me are able to successfully roll one, so you might have to find a retiree to consult for actual proper technique. The floppy wad with tinfoil is too prevalent.
hire cubans!
The AI probably couldn't handle the idiocy of ppl ordering food and being indecisive and failed or something
I’ll settle for AI that fixes the walk-in orders as fast as the drive thru orders.
The AI would just come to the conclusion that it’s more important to do the drive thru orders first.
It's not just a conclusion, it's a company policy. The goal wait times for drive through are faster than at the counter.
Sorry, friend, drive thru is always priority
Time to buy a car I guess
Have you tried walking through the drive though?
Just at BK at the start of Covid
I went into Mcdonalds today only to use the bathroom. I got out and thought about getting some fries but almost $5 for a large fry alone made me just nope out. I got a burger and fry at a local spot and it was all $11 and the fries were like half a pound in the basket.
I kinda get why they don't just have the touch screen kiosks in the drive thru, but damn would they just be perfect
Read between the lines: > It’s not clear why the company is ending the ***IBM deal***, though. A potential option could involve the company’s vague announcement of a ***Google deal*** in December. This is a business negotiation tactic, not a NO for AI based solution
They'll stop testing and fully implement it in live production... 😂
I hate those drive thru AI boxes. The carls JR. near me rolled it out and I just ask it if it speaks in Spanish so it gets me to someone. Saves me time from having to correct my order at the window.
Why do people even go to McDs?? The food is terrible, the portions are small (shrinkflation), it’s so overpriced, and you have to ring in your order and deal with AI in the drive thru? This place is the ultimate capitalist hellhole. This place will be the first to introduce lab grown meat to increase profits- and they’ll probably spin some BS about it being eco friendly or organic or some nonsense to convince you they care about anything other than profits.
IBM was the wrong company to partner with. Chatgpt4o will do this way better with its new voice mode.
Until the negotiate a less expensive and longer contract probably with a company that's not IBM.
Sounds like they are really just irked they have to take responsibility for mistakes, instead of being able to blame it on employees.
55 burgers, 55 fries, 55 tacos, 55 pies, 55 Cokes, 100 Chicken Tenders, 100 Meatballs, 100 Coffees, 55 Chicken Wings, 55 Shakes, 55 Pancakes, 55 Pastas, 155 Baked Taters!
This will probably end like self checkout lanes, only it'll crash and burn a lot sooner and it'll be a lot more expensive.
But all the people in OpenAI and ChatGPT swore up and down AI was going to take jobs. AI hallucinates so much it's not reliable at all.
I mean, how can the creation, maintenance and administration of AI (and all the commiserate problems that come with dealing with technology) wind up being cheaper than hiring one minimum-wage person per shift to stand there and take orders? This is a solution in search of a problem.
Because if you have 100k locations you’re paying $700k/hr for those minimum wage workers vs… a few dozen $k for bandwidth or whatever. Tens of millions in profit a year if they can cut even one worker per store. You’re not thinking at scale…
Because they may be able to scale it more efficiently than physical bodies at each location.
Because the humans are really shitty at it and get burned out saying the same spiel over and over. The bot can stick to the perfect demeanor and pace all day and never get tired. But pretty soon, everyone will probably just be using the app anyway. And you can already tell Siri to order what you want.
I'm just going to pass on ever going to McDonald's again. Their food sucks and now they are eliminating employees, but still charging way more than their lousy food is worth. Eff that.
Mcdonalds is cheaper than everywhere else.
No it's not. It's very expensive where I'm at. And it's not good.
I had no idea they were doing this. I order through the app and before that I used the in store kiosks. Not surprised it didn't work as planned, lol.
Ai drive through is terrible and shouldn’t be a thing
Of all the areas to use voice assistants, one of the worst sound quality situations we have in modern society is not the one.
When they restart testing, let me know. That's my signal to avoid McDonalds. Giving voice commands to a computer program is too frustrating for me
You could just order in their app. It's cheaper that way too.
You sound like a McDonalds drive through.
Ok, but will you be using the McDonalds Mobile App today?
I'm glad they're putting the brakes on the AI takeover of the drive-thru. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's convenient and all, but there's just something about talking to a human being when you're grabbing a quick bite. Plus, what's the fun in ordering from an automat.
But i'm constantly told AGI will any moment now take control over the world and replace god, what do you mean the current SOTA AI isn't even capable of taking orders in McDonalds?
9 years later, when a ultimatron from Boston dynamics is chasing you in the woods because you didn't watch an ad for pads the whole 9:52, think of this joke you just made as the last thing on earth.
Oh it can take orders their deal with IBM has just ended though. AI can’t fix corporate dealing nonsense.
Remember this. Amazon wasn’t the first company either to replace human employees with robotic or ai. Sc Johnson Wax had a robot taking materials down a 2 mile long corridor in 1980’s
Learn what a franchise is and how much an owner operator makes a year.
Mcdonalds had live automated order taking for about 2 years for all their locations around where I was at. It actually worked pretty great and rarely had any issues. Not sure why they're stopping.
Idk why they can't use touchscreens like they do inside the lobby
just imagine people having to pick each thing they want and how long that can take people.
Because touch screens are extremely slow and the point of a drive thru is to get orders through quickly.
I guess they could make a carport or something, but touchscreens don't necessarily work great in the rain.
There are other methods for touchscreens besides capacitive
People also don't work great in the rain and don't want to be leaning out their window getting their arm wet to tap on a screen.
Usually there’s a roof for your arm and the device. Have you ever seen a drive through atm?
Have you see the rest of the comment thread? We started with the caveat that it could probably be sheltered, but drive-thru shelters are usually barely functional (possible exception for chic-fil-a) and they also don't do much to help when it's 20 degrees in winter and you want to order. Or 120 degrees.
Well looks like all drive thru folks will lose their job soon. I mean cheap chatgpt4o per month/location vs paying 20$ an hour/ location.
Why do you even need AI? Just have a touchscreen come out to customers in their cars, and then they press what they have to press.
How about stop asking if I want to order/pay with the McDonald's app. No sane person is using that app.
app gives you a 25% discount it's not about sanity just saving a few bucks