McDonald’s To Experiment With ‘Digital Ordering Stations’

McDonald’s is reportedly launching a series of digital ordering stations that provide cashierless checkout options.

These stations — rolling out at a handful of the fast-food giant’s restaurants — will be able to take cash and provide change, letting customers skip the register, Bloomberg reported Wednesday (Sept. 11), citing unnamed sources.

McDonald’s already uses kiosks at most of its locations, although diners who aren’t paying with cards still need to wait in line to get checked out by a cashier. Under the new model, human workers would be freed up to handle other tasks, like dealing with curbside pickup orders, per the report.

The company confirmed the new design option, according to the report, saying that — under the new look — screens behind the counter that typically display the full menu will instead highlight select items and encourage diners to order at the kiosk or on the mobile app.

Customers who would rather order at the counter will still have that option, with full printed menus available upon request, the report said.

“These changes allow franchisees to meet our customers’ increased desire for digital options, while improving speed and accuracy,” McDonald’s said, per the report.

Fast-food eateries embraced mobile ordering kiosks during the pandemic. The PYMNTS Intelligence report “The Digital Divide: Technology, the Metaverse and the Future of Dining Out” found that consumers are similarly inclined toward this option, at least at quick-service restaurants.

The report showed that 51% of grab-and-go customers said ordering through a self-service kiosk would improve their satisfaction, while 20% of dine-in customers said the same.

McDonald’s efforts are happening as unattended payments technologies are “increasingly becoming indispensable in today’s fast-paced retail environment,” PYMNTS wrote this summer.

Ellie Smith, global head of digital acceptance at Discover Global Network, pointed to a confluence of factors driving this trend in an interview with PYMNTS in May.

Smith stressed the role of technological advancements and the rising demand from consumers for self-service solutions in allowing more secure and seamless unattended transactions.

“[You] have the payment technology providers and merchants who benefit both from speed and managing their employee base,” Smith said, ultimately creating a unique, “win-win situation” ushering in rapid advancements in the unattended arena.