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American fast-food chain McDonald's has sparked online criticism after it opened its first almost fully automated restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas.
The famed fast-food brand is currently testing out an outlet where customers can order their food via an app or a kiosk and pick it without coming into any human contact. Since there are no tables or seating arrangements, customers are expected to grab their food and leave.
The restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, also has a conveyor belt for drive-thru customers to get their food delivered to their vehicle after they enter a code following the purchase of food items.
Twitter reacts to McDonald's first automated restaurant
After Texas' almost fully automated McDonald's opened its doors to customers, the Twitterati criticized the brand's new tech move. Several users pointed out that with this new move, many potential employees would lose the opportunity to work, thus increasing unemployment.
Meanwhile, others simply mocked the brand, noting that instead of increasing their hourly wages to $25, McDonald's removed all human labor and made the place automated.
McDonald's new test is to improve efficiency
The nearly fully automated McDonald's outlet is just functional in one place, at Fort Worth, Texas.
According to a statement obtained by the Guardian, a spokesperson for the brand stated that the outlet is not fully automated and employs a team that is comparable to that of a traditional fast food outlet.
The brand said that the food at the outlet is still being prepared by human staff, and with the machines at work, the orders are being delivered more efficiently.
In a blog post, Keith Vanecek, who operates the test restaurant, stated:
“The technology in this restaurant not only allows us to serve our customers in new, innovative ways, it gives our restaurant team the ability to concentrate more on order speed and accuracy, which makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone.”
The aim of the fast-food chain's new test restaurant is to enhance the accuracy and order speed for customers, with the brand dubbing the concept “more seamless than ever before.”
However, customers have some qualms about the new system, especially in light of the fact that the minimum wage in Texas is $7.25 per hour, and it has not grown in almost 10 years. It sits just above the $5.15 minimum pay of Georgia and Wyoming, which is $2.10 less than the federal minimum wage.
The other five states that have not established a minimum work wage are Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.
The majority of the company's employees nationwide make less than $15 per hour, which is much below the minimum wage in practically every state.
McDonald's was founded in San Bernardino, California, in 1940 by Richard and Maurice McDonald. The brand has since become one of the largest fast-food chains in the world.
