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McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

wsj.com

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Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#41

Post by TZubiri »

acdha wrote: post #10
lelandfe wrote: post #8

> McDonald’s consumers remain pressured, particularly low-income diners and families. The restaurant is hoping that a better tech-enabled experience will help it deliver on its goal of growing its loyalty patrons from 175 million to 250 million by 2027 > [..] > AI will be able to help McDonald’s tailor its promotions and offers by using customer data such as prior purchasing history, and even linking it with weather…

I’m also trying to figure out how AI is revolutionizing the business by selling cold treats on a hot day when people did that in the analog era. That seems like it would be a lot more compelling if it found some non-obvious connections.

Presumably it would give an offer only when you wouldn't have otherwise ordered.

So maybe a daily coffee at off peak hours if it's within your commute idk

Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#42

Post by TylerE »

_mitterpach wrote: post #2

Edge computing will enable applications like predicting when kitchen equipment—such as fryers and its notorious McFlurry ice cream machines—is likely to break down, Rice said. It is not hard to know if a machine is broken. There is an entire map dedicated to this, which shows state-wide broken rate as high as 40% for some states. https://mcbroken.com/ If you know these machines are broken and they are not being fixed…

A machine about to break down is not a machine that HAS broken down. Predictive (but preventative!) is an active area of research in industrial circles.

Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#43

Post by TZubiri »

_mitterpach wrote: post #2

Edge computing will enable applications like predicting when kitchen equipment—such as fryers and its notorious McFlurry ice cream machines—is likely to break down, Rice said. It is not hard to know if a machine is broken. There is an entire map dedicated to this, which shows state-wide broken rate as high as 40% for some states. https://mcbroken.com/ If you know these machines are broken and they are not being fixed…

You misunderstand, it's not to detect when a machine is broken, but to predict when it will break before it does.

You really think you had some novel map mcdonalds didn't have access to lol

Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#44

Post by Frederation »

Larrikin wrote: post #28

In my area, I can pay about five dollars more and get an equivalent meal from Five Guys. Why would I ever go to McDonald's when I can get a meal that I actually taste good. Especially something that should not be eaten that often.

Five Guys suck.Their frys suck. They just suck.

Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#45

Post by TZubiri »

thbb123 wrote: post #24

This is starting to feel like Manna, the Marshall Brain novel: https://marshallbrain.com/manna1 > Depending on how you want to think about it, it was funny or inevitable or symbolic that the robotic takeover did not start at MIT, NASA, Microsoft or Ford. It started at a Burger-G restaurant in Cary, NC on May 17. It seemed like such a simple thing at the time, but May 17 marked a pivotal moment in human history.

My brother are you unable to connect the dots across industries?

That has already happened with uber.

Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#47

Post by anon373839 »

kortilla wrote: post #30
anon373839 wrote: post #21

I don't understand how McDonalds is still relevant outside of food deserts. The food quality is trash, and the prices are so high that you can and should just go elsewhere and buy real food.

> and the prices are so high that you can and should just go elsewhere and buy real food. Not sure what you’re implying here, but McDonald’s is still contending for the bottom for price on fast food. Groceries are of course cheaper if that’s what you mean by “real food”, but there aren’t restaurants that really compete with that value meal outside of Taco Bell/Time and maybe Burger King.

> Not sure what you’re implying here, but McDonald’s is still contending for the bottom for price on fast food.

No, that's exactly my point. McDonalds isn't all that cheap anymore. There are high-quality fast-casual restaurants and local shops that deliver much better quality food at roughly the same price point. E.g.: it looks like $12 is the current price for a Big Mac meal in my area. But I can think of several places I regularly go for lunch that would offer a handmade sandwich and proper side dish, made with organic ingredients no less, for the same price.

Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#48

Post by smaudet »

kortilla wrote: post #30
anon373839 wrote: post #21

I don't understand how McDonalds is still relevant outside of food deserts. The food quality is trash, and the prices are so high that you can and should just go elsewhere and buy real food.

> and the prices are so high that you can and should just go elsewhere and buy real food. Not sure what you’re implying here, but McDonald’s is still contending for the bottom for price on fast food. Groceries are of course cheaper if that’s what you mean by “real food”, but there aren’t restaurants that really compete with that value meal outside of Taco Bell/Time and maybe Burger King.

There aren't many big box names that compete. There are usually places that sell you a "meal" for comparable cost.

The franchise has to pay fees and offer specific menu items. Small restaurants can outcompete in both price and quality.

The flip side is those places don't normally get enough foot traffic to offer their stuff "near cost", so they bundle it up into serving sizes in the $$ range that can last you a couple days. And they don't have brand marketing on their side... Joe's Diner can equally be a gem in the rough or in dire need of a new cook and a safety inspection...

Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#49

Post by TylerE »

conductr wrote: post #39
Larrikin wrote: post #28

In my area, I can pay about five dollars more and get an equivalent meal from Five Guys. Why would I ever go to McDonald's when I can get a meal that I actually taste good. Especially something that should not be eaten that often.

Is this a joke? Five guys is well known for the most outrageously expensive fast food, it’s a meme

He’s not wrong. A quarter pounder with cheese and a large fry from McDonald’s is up to about $11. The same from five guys is $16. Which is… five bucks more. (Medium fries from five guys, which is more fries than the McDonalds large)

Crap tier fast food has gotten outrageously expensive. McDonald’s fry prices are up over 40% in 3 years

Re: McDonald's gives its restaurants an AI makeover

#50

Post by smaudet »

an_aparallel wrote: post #40
smaudet wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was legitimately surprised last time I went to a UK McDonalds, it was like they actually served food. That is not the experience in other countries though, even in the US it is a pretty consistently shitty experience...

Problem is, its price goes up, while its quality stays "OK"... At that point you might as well eat somewhere that serves better food for a few more $

I agree with you.

But half of relevancy is branding, the other half is delivering. McD has advertising dollars still (also they own other successful franchises such as Chipotle), and in some places in the world it's not crap. It's just another over-priced food chain with some weird marketing attached.

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