Fast food chains such as McDonald’s (MCD), Starbucks (SBUX), Chipolte (CMG) plan to use tech...

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Richard Adams Comments (79)
 
This is not a particularly good time to be a franchisee in the fast food business. Franchisees are under pressure to remodel or replace ageing facilities, absorb nightmarish commodity increases over the
next few years, and invest in constantly changing technologies (very
expensive technologies). It's a kind of perfect storm.

Hopefully, after all that, they might make a profit.
30 Aug 2012, 08:22 AM Reply Like

djohnsonhot Comments (652)
 
How does speeding up lines help? People will wait...adding technology is a customer service issue, not a revenue enhancer.

This is smoke and mirrors. Franchisees will spend more money NOT consumers...they will not buy more if it is faster.
30 Aug 2012, 09:22 AM Reply Like

Melleecat65 Comments (8)
 
Agree. And one of the reasons I agree is that getting the ORDER in faster will not PRODUCE the food faster, it will just cause back log. Better customer service, as in front liners who act like they care about customers would be a better choice as an area of improvement.
McDonalds was fast when I worked there as a youngster, the break down is coming from the top. They are not training them right. McDonalds USE to have STANDARDS. Now I see total riff raff working there and that includes management. And yes, appearance matters, they may be GOOD people but LOOK like riff raff to me.
30 Aug 2012, 12:28 PM Reply Like

Richard Adams Comments (79)
 
Not too sure what you’re trying to say but in the real world of
restaurant operations one sees customers open the door,
see a long line, turn around and leave. This is especially
true if there are other food opportunities nearby, and there
almost always are.

This is especially true in the drive-thru. The line will only get
just so long and then drivers will go down the street.
30 Aug 2012, 09:46 AM Reply Like

jackooo Comments (1122)
 
Also in the world of gaming. They do not want you in line waiting to eat. They want you playing the slots, craps or whatever. The reason is you spend nothing in line waiting.
30 Aug 2012, 10:52 AM Reply Like

jw4golf Comments (330)
 
telling the customer how to pay seems self limiting to me.
30 Aug 2012, 11:14 AM Reply Like

Melleecat65 Comments (8)
 
When I was young and worked at McDonalds, we actually were fast!! And it was REAL people who were working quickly and efficiently. I believe it is a management problem. They are not training the workers to be fast and efficient or to even CARE about doing a good job. It is sad but fast food is not fast anymore. The front line just doesn't care, but that must be attributed to managers who just don't care. It starts at the top.
And, yes, I have stock in the company and hope for the future.
30 Aug 2012, 12:24 PM Reply Like

jlbrown Comments (29)
 
I do NOT believe in adding gimmicks that cost the restaurant money when the gimmick, whatever it is, can't make the food itself faster. And I certainly don't believe in limited customers to how they will pay - self-defeating.
1 Sep 2012, 02:39 PM Reply Like

GEORGE DOKTORCZYK Comments (2)
 
There is no question that "scan-and-go" will catch on. I read somewhere that WalMart spends 12 million per day on cashiers wages & benefits. A 20% reduction in that expense represents over $1.5 BILLION directly to their bottom line. They are testing as we speak. The question is how can you and I as investors play this. Who are the leaders in the field and how will they monetize the process.
1 Sep 2012, 09:04 PM Reply Like