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RetailMcDonald's

This is the problem with McDonald’s new digital self-service kiosks

By
Michal Addady
Michal Addady
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By
Michal Addady
Michal Addady
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August 25, 2015, 5:39 PM ET
Signs are posted on the exterior of a McDonald's restaurant on April 22, 2015 in San Francisco, California.
Signs are posted on the exterior of a McDonald's restaurant on April 22, 2015 in San Francisco, California. Photograph by Justin Sullivan — Getty Images

McDonald’s is introducing a new digital self-service kiosk in the hopes of increasing sales, Business Insider reports. This is part of McDonald’s new “Create Your Taste” platform and caters to customers’ increasingly prevalent desire to customize their meals rather than choosing from a set list of menu items.

Implementing these kiosks is expected to cost franchisees between $120,000 and $160,000. Quite an expense considering its limited advantage.

McDonald’s receives about 70% of its sales from drive-thru customers. The self-serve kiosk, which is only accessible from inside the restaurant, is only available to 30% of the fast food chain’s clientele.

Richard Adams, former McDonald’s franchisee and current president of Franchise Equity Group, told QSR Magazine: “The reality is that it doesn’t apply to the 70 percent of customers that choose the drive-thru…. I think this is more a stunt to appeal Wall Street investors instead of being practical for the restaurant operator.”

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By Michal Addady
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