Fast Food Costs Soaring! (price, kiosk, stores, buy)

[Mistermobile]

I just spent $3.50 for a small 3.5 oz. vanilla milkshake at McDonalds. Is this related to the mandatory $15 min. wage? The Sheetz gasoline/convenience chain all over Pennsylvania and expanding has remodeled two-three year old stores to operate with two employees using computerized meal selection with the cashier handling the pumps. Automation reducing jobs.



Are we at the beginning of a new age?

[erickz623]

Originally Posted by Mistermobile

I just spent $3.50 for a small 3.5 oz. vanilla milkshake at McDonalds. Is this related to the mandatory $15 min. wage? The Sheetz gasoline/convenience chain all over Pennsylvania and expanding has remodeled two-three year old stores to operate with two employees using computerized meal selection with the cashier handling the pumps. Automation reducing jobs.



Are we at the beginning of a new age?

Everything, including fast food, is going up in price and will continue to go up.

[ashbeeigh]

Is this in San Antonio? Or is this a national concern?

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

Is this in San Antonio? Or is this a national concern?

I was wondering the same thing. Sheetz gasoline/convenience stores were used as an example in the OP's post, but Sheetz doesn't have any operations in this part of the country.

[adriver]

Are you referring to inflation in San Antonio, or the "robotic age".
This is not a trend, this is business: quicker, easier, cheaper. Its been going on for a lot longer than you're giving credit for:
How about the assembly line, (remember the Model T) that was the start of it, over 100 years ago.
Full service gasoline stations made way for gas pumps that you don't need to go inside for.
Customer service phone call automation - or the half-ass way to do it = outsourcing
Pizza vending machines
self-checkout
We have Amazon (the physical business warehouse aspect).
Internet shopping (why drive around all day, spend half a tank of gas, when you can find more options from 30 different stores in 15 minutes, and not only was the shopping free, but you did it in your underwear, and still haven't had to come up with an excuse to shower.
Telemedicine
Groceries you don't even have to go inside to get
More and more restaurants are figuring out how to deliver. Cities are already working on drone food delivery.

Why do I NEED to interact with anyone to get food? Every single recipe could be programmed into a machine down to a specific grain count for salt. Flip my two patties 2 minutes 13 seconds after drop, remove 2 minutes 7 seconds later, level 4 (out of 10) ketchup, level 5 (out of 10) mustard, with lettuce and one slice of cheese. I have no problem with fine tuning in my burger preference, then getting it EXACTLY how I want it, the EXACT same way, every single time. A machine is not going to drop my food on the floor, and pick it up. I'm not going to find hair or worse, in my food from a machine. The machine is not going to have a bad day, then take it out on me or be rude, or misinterpret what I say. I look forward to more automation.

All these fast food workers that went on strike for a raise; If they could think ahead and look at the bigger picture of the inflation they are causing, they wouldn't be looking at filling the napkin dispensers as a promotion.

I'm expecting McDonalds to be the first one to go nearly complete automation, (as in a couple of employees who are there to supervise the machines and explain to the customers how to use them. They are going to make it into a gimmick. Tell me if they made it so all the machinery was blocked off by glass, but you could walk around to see the entire process, you wouldn't want to check it out.. (Even though, you already know exactly how its done).

This is not an "IF" question about any metro area. They are working on automation in many ways. As soon as they can make it efficient and cheap enough, they will replace more and more people. Machines are getting cheaper, and people are costing more.

As a business owner, would you rather put up with people calling in, talking behind your back, stealing from you, cheating you, raises, firings, potential lawsuits, time sheets, payroll, insurance , ETC.... Or would you prefer to just hire someone to set everything up for you, then control, and manage your entire business from a tablet?

[sapphire]

Originally Posted by Mistermobile

I just spent $3.50 for a small 3.5 oz. vanilla milkshake at McDonalds. Is this related to the mandatory $15 min. wage? The Sheetz gasoline/convenience chain all over Pennsylvania and expanding has remodeled two-three year old stores to operate with two employees using computerized meal selection with the cashier handling the pumps. Automation reducing jobs.



Are we at the beginning of a new age?

You should be thankful the ice cream machine was working.

The McDonald's near my Midwest home has the touchscreen kiosks to order from. I'm no germaphobe but EW. Just EW. They should put Lysol wipes nearby.

[steve807]

It was only a year or so ago that lots of things were a dollar that are now close to two.

Ice Tea at some restaurants is at three dollars, that's my pain point.

[LakeLifePA]

It's all crap for you anyway. They are doing you a favor.

[elnina]

Not San Antonio related. Moving it to Shopping and Consumer Products Forum.

[elnina]

Originally Posted by Mistermobile

I just spent $3.50 for a small 3.5 oz. vanilla milkshake at McDonalds. Is this related to the mandatory $15 min. wage? The Sheetz gasoline/convenience chain all over Pennsylvania and expanding has remodeled two-three year old stores to operate with two employees using computerized meal selection with the cashier handling the pumps. Automation reducing jobs.

Are we at the beginning of a new age?

Was there a menu displayed on the wall? Did you see the prices?
If you decided to buy it - it was worth to you at that price. If people stop buying it, the price will go down.