It’s a Big Mac attack!
Fast-food giant McDonald’s is launching a public relations offensive, posting a “Separating Fact from Fiction” chart on its website Thursday insisting that “AI Does Not Set Prices” at its eateries across the country.
The Golden Arches claims it’s been burned by a flurry of stories suggesting that artificial intelligence is used to set prices at its 44,000 locations worldwide.
“We do not use AI to set prices,” a spokesman said, dismissing complaints as “more sizzle than substance.”
“This is a nothingburger with maybe extra pickles,” the rep told The Post.
“Dynamic pricing is not on the menu at McDonald’s. It’s never been on the menu.”
Dynamic pricing tracks data on a the spending habits of individual customers and their willingness to pay.
The rep said McDonald’s uses AI and tools to provide economic data to franchisees about the neighborhood where they are located. The company provides recommendations or suggestions on pricing.
McDonald’s “pricing recommendation tool provides restaurant-specific recommendations. it does not change or set prices,” the chart says.
“Franchisees decide what prices to charge and whether to use the recommendations.
“The bottom line: The tool provides information. People make the final pricing decisions …AI does not set McDonald’s menu prices. Franchisees do.”