‘Automated’ McDonald’s raises questions

The push for automation in the food service industry raises serious concerns about the future of the job market.

Recently, McDonald’s opened an “automated” location in DFW, where customers can order ahead and receive their food by conveyor belt at the site. This conveyor belt shows a separation from interaction in the transaction, and instead relying entirely on machines to bring the patron the human-prepared food.

In reality, ordering through the drive-thru of this location is no different than any other one. A human takes the order, processes the card and gives the food. But the stir that was caused by this location’s marketing raises a major question about the importance of a human in the service industry, rather than a machine.

Automation in the workplace can be an incredibly useful tool, but advertising it as an alternative to human interaction is going too far. This trivializes the jobs that are available, as well as the need in the workforce for these integral positions.

These were the people who were able to get the community through the pandemic by providing food and services, our essential workers, and yet now they’re advertising that these positions aren’t needed, only the bare minimum.

Jobs in the service industry are imperative to middle and low- income persons as well as students due to their flexibility of scheduling and accessibility to people new to the job market. If these jobs are able to be handled with machines, rather than being a position that needs to be filled, there would be a definite shift in the job industry.

One of the jokes made online regarding this new McDonald’s is how it was opened due to efforts to raise the minimum wage. While the