GREENSBORO, N.C. (WFMY) – So imagine it’s lunch time and you’re craving McDonald’s. You walk into the restaurant and you’re led to a touch-screen kiosk by an associate to make your order.
Within the next year, this will become the norm at all McDonald’s restaurants.
McDonald's has started adding touch-screen ordering kiosks to thousands of stores nationwide to supplement in-store employees.
USA TODAY reports that McDonald’s found customers often buy more when ordering on a screen than when standing in front a worker at the counter because they tend to linger longer.
McDonald's will add kiosks to 1,000 stores every quarter — roughly 10 stores per day — over the next two years, and the restaurant located at 508 Pisgah Church Rd in Greensboro is among the ones that have.
“We refer to this as a kiosk,” said Jim Smith, owner and operator of the McDonald’s. “It’s another point of ordering in McDonald’s.”
Smith said the company has rolled them out with the customer in mind.
“It’s all about serving the customer and giving the customer more ways of ordering,” Smith added. “The customer can order at their convenience, they can see the entire menu as opposed to what they might traditionally order and now they see the other options that are available, too.”
Janice Manass, who has breakfast with her husband at the restaurant every morning, says she wasn’t a fan of the kiosks, but they don’t bother her as much anymore.
“I was a little perplexed when we first came here and saw the kiosks, and we’ve worked with it and I’ve learned to use it now so I don’t have a problem with it,” Manass said.
Manass, an elderly woman, says the kiosks cater more to a younger crowd.
“Of course younger people just walk right up and start their order,” she shared.
But just because the kiosks are in, doesn’t meant cash registers are out.
“The traditional method of ordering is going to be here forever, this is just four more points that you can place your order,” Smith said.
Smith says he isn’t concerned about the kiosks replacing manpower at his restaurant, since they will be giving staff other tasks to serve as “guest experiences leaders” to guide new customers in the ordering process and also to bring the food to their tables.
So, here’s how they work:
First you walk up to the kiosk and tap the screen to begin your order. Next, you select “Dine In” or “take Out.”
The menu window will pop up after that, where you select what you’d like to order (aka: breakfast sandwiches, burgers, McCafé, fountain drinks, fries, McNuggets, etc.) and hit “Add to order.”
Then, you can customize your order, like adding or removing cheese, bacon, and other toppings, or quantity of items. Hit ‘checkout’ when you’re done.
From there, a new screen will pop up giving you your payment options: You can pay at the kiosk with a credit or debit card or other mobile payment forms like ApplePay, or at the counter with the same options and cash.
A new window will follow asking you to take a table number, your drink cup and receipt. Pick a seat and wait until the server brings your meal and enjoy.
► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WFMY News 2 App: Apple Users, Android Users