McDonald’s is launching a new digital kiosk capable of accepting cash payments and dispensing change. This initiative could lead to the elimination of human cashiers at the fast-food chain.
The world’s largest burger chain had previously installed self-order screens that only accepted credit card payments at most locations in 2020. However, these kiosks still required cash-paying customers to finalize their purchases at the counter.
The new cash kiosks, which have only been implemented in a few restaurants so far, will allow customers to skip the counter process entirely. According to Bloomberg, which first reported the news, a McDonald’s spokesperson stated, “These changes allow franchisees to meet our customers’ increased desire for digital options while improving speed and accuracy.”
At McDonald’s locations, screens behind the counter usually display the full menu. Now, these screens will highlight select items and encourage customers to place orders at the self-service kiosks or through the McDonald’s app.
The adoption of these cash kiosks is optional for franchisees, who own and manage about 95% of the roughly 14,300 McDonald’s locations in the United States. Currently, less than 2% of franchisees have opted to implement the new kiosks and screens, according to McDonald’s USA.
The company, which employs approximately 2 million workers, has not provided a timeline for a broader rollout of these kiosks. A McDonald’s spokesperson assured that the new screens would not lead to job cuts. Instead, cashiers will be reassigned to roles such as delivering food to customers who ordered online or enhancing the overall guest experience.
Despite reassurances, concerns persist that the push for automation may render cashier roles obsolete, especially following California’s decision to raise the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $20 an hour. Other chains like Taco Bell and Panera have also implemented similar self-order screens.
Customers have generally welcomed these new options, which can reduce wait times and offer discounts and perks to loyal app users.
McDonald’s has benefited from this shift, as mobile app customers tend to be more loyal and often purchase additional items, such as French fries.
In the third quarter of last year, orders made through the app, self-order screens, or delivery services accounted for over 40% of McDonald’s sales in key markets. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski noted in July, “Digital is going to continue to grow for us. We’re going to get more and more customers on our digital platform.”