McDonald’s to test new store format set to make cashiers obsolete

McDonald’s is planning to test out a new store format that will make cashiers obsolete, letting customers pay with cash without talking to a single person.

Most fast-food restaurants already have self-ordering kiosks that allow customers to order their food without having to line up at a cashier or also allow patrons to order their food through an app, circumventing any lines altogether.

However, these ordering systems would exclude those who pay in cash, as they still need to go to cashiers to pay even if they use the self-service kiosks.

McDonald’s is looking to fix this, as it is now rolling out a new store format with ordering stations that will receive cash and give out change.

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Under the new system, menus behind the cashier won’t display the full range.

As reported by Bloomberg, the new design will let customers who pay in cash bypass the registers entirely, making the role of cashiers completely obsolete.

Since most customers pay using a card, cashiers were only around for those who were still paying in cash. However, the new system would allow the employees to be redeployed to other stations.

Under the new system, the menu screens behind the cashier will only display highlighted menu items instead of the entire thing and encourage customers to order at the kiosks or on the mobile app.

This doesn’t mean the cashier experience is completely dead. You can still ask for a printed-out menu, and an employee can still take your order, although most orders will be taken through the kiosks.

“These changes allow franchises to meet our customers’ increased desire for digital options, while improving speed and accuracy,” McDonald’s told Bloomberg. Currently, the company does not have a timeline for a wider rollout.

According to McDonald’s, orders made through their mobile app or kiosks accounted for more than 40% of their sales during 2023’s third quarter.

So in the near future, it looks like we won’t be able to experience the classic “can I get uhhh” in front of the cashier, although it would certainly speed up the ordering process.