McDonald’s is rolling out a new digital kiosk that can accept cash and spit out change – a move that could pave the way for the fast-food giant to scrap the need for human cashiers.
The world’s largest burger chain had installed self-order screens that accepted credit card payments at most of its locations in 2020, but those kiosks still required cash-paying customers to complete their purchases at the counter.
The new cash kiosks — which have been deployed at just a few restaurants so far — will allow Big Mac lovers to bypass that process, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the story.
“These changes allow franchisees to meet our customers’ increased desire for digital options, while improving speed and accuracy,” a spokesperson for McDonald’s told The Post on Wednesday.
Screens behind the counter at McDonald’s locations normally display the full menu. Now, they will highlight select items and encourage guests to order at the self-use kiosks or on the McDonald’s app, the company said.
The cash kiosks are optional for the company’s franchisees – who own and manage around 95% of the roughly 14,300 McDonald’s locations in the US.
Less than 2% of these franchisees have opted to use the new kiosks and screens so far, McDonald’s USA told The Post.
The company, which employs around 2 million workers, said it does not have a timeline for a widespread rollout.
The new screens will not result in job cuts, the McDonald’s spokesperson insisted.
Instead, cashiers will be reassigned to other roles like bringing food to customers who ordered online or leading improvements on “guest experience.”
But worries remain that the continued push to automation will render cashier roles obsolete in the future — especially in the wake of California’s hiking the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 an hour.
Taco Bell and Panera have used similar self-order screens at their restaurants.
Customers have embraced these new options, which can speed up wait times and reward loyal app customers with discounts and other perks.
McDonald’s has reaped the benefits, since mobile app customers tend to be more loyal to companies and buy more add-ons like French fries with their orders.
Orders made through the app, self-order screens or a delivery service made up more than 40% of McDonald’s sales in top markets during last year’s third quarter, the company said.
“Digital is going to continue to grow for us,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski told analysts in July. “We’re going to get more and more customers on our digital platform.”
