For as long as there have been machines, there have been fears of machines taking your job. One of the latest incarnations of this phenomenon is the fast-food ordering kiosk. No longer will you have some teenager asking you if you want fries with that. These days, you are more likely going to find the question on a touch screen. So, are those poor kids out of an entry-level job? Apparently not, according to a recent CNN story.
According to McDonald’s, a business that embraces the kiosks, the new technology increases sales and creates more jobs, albeit more jobs further behind the counter. Part of the reason is that while “Do you want fries with that” is a cliche, it is also a sound business practice. Cashiers should try to upsell but don’t always do so. The kiosk always remembers to offer you an apple pie or whatever else they want to move today.
Of course, there are other new jobs. A decade ago, very few restaurants would deliver food to your car while you were parked. Now, that’s practically a norm, and it requires humans for now. Of course, there are other studies that show people at kiosks with a line behind them tend to order less or have more trouble entering their order. But the consensus seems to be that it is generally a good thing and is leading to more jobs in the sector instead of less.
We like tech, of course. We can’t help but wonder if this isn’t a case where the computer isn’t great, but it is better than what you are likely t ..
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