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175 Comments
- thegsa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9A Couple Weeks From Now On Digg...
Hack Taco Bell/KFC Machines... - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9On one hand, I want to say "GOOD, maybe my orders won't be wrong 80% of the time". On the other hand, I want to say "BAD, now how the hell do I get my order fixed when they ***** it up?".
- ewingsquadron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"With a choice of b-b-b-beef or pork. . ."
- iwantansi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Great.... I can see the idiots who clog up the Walmart self checkout with a bottle of soda who cant follow directions taking 20 minutes for 2 tacos on this thing...
Its great if people are somewhat literate to using a computer... but how many times have one of you gotten stuck behind an idiot at the ATM? - Sinscriven, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5"As an employer, I would definitely embrace these babies. Employees suck."
--Personally, I think it has less to do with the employees themselves, and more to do with the half-assed job that employers make in hiring incompetent workers. A job isn't a right, no body's entitled to have one, even a fast food one. If you've got ***** employees doing ***** work then it's your fault for hiring them. God knows there are plenty of honest people who'd LOVE a job right now. Any job.
When I was younger, I'd think things like this were the epitome of awesomeness and a glimpse of the neat future that technology can bring us, but as I grow older, I've grown more concerned for the human interests than the "promise" of technology.
To what end would something like this benefit? It won't be us, the employees, or the managers. It'll probably just fatten the wallets of the investors. Regardless of how you feel about the quality of employees at fast food establishments, they still are real people, who need to work to make a living just like anyone else, and a frivolous use of technology like this just takes their abilities to make a living away from them.
But then people say "why don't they just get REAL jobs?" -- and then people forget that most people start their first jobs at fast food establishments. How are young people supposed to get any jobs with any sort of education without having anything to put on a resume? What about college students who sometimes find the industry ideal since it generally is very flexible to work with school schedules? What about the older people who feel like they should still make a contribution to society or need money since the amount that social security dishes out is nowhere near living wage?
Jobs are becoming more and more scarce as technology progresses, and companies further lose the concept of human interest and ethics in their mission statements and board meetings. Yes, you can argue that the same things were said at the beginning of the industrial revolution, when the people cried out that the machines were sent to replace them.
A few jobs were lost, and yes, we did adapt. Then eventually the technology will progress enough to the point where most times, it'll never touch human hands. And then later on, they'll figure out that for the parts that absolutely need human hands for, they can make a bunch of Third world Asians or Chinese do it for substantially less wages, and as an added bonus, they don't need to worry about strict safety and labor laws, nor worry about taxes.
But if we shift from a manufacturing economy to a service one, we probably could manage. But then when we start working to automate the whole service part of the thing, we're destroying the service economy as well, which makes me wonder and worry about the future of humanity in general. Because after that, what'd be left?
The promise of technology was to make our lives easier, not take it away from us. And even though work is something we rarely want to spend our lives doing, we are sort of built for it. We're built to produce, service, and consume. What kind of lives will we have once the only thing left to do is to simply consume? And better yet, how will we even be able to even make money to put down to actually consume something in the first place if there are few jobs in the first place?
It's not just fast food workers that can be replaced. Mechanics can be replaced, if machines could build them, they can fix them; people will figure that teaching by machine or DVD can replace a teacher; computers will eventually grow to be self-diagnostic and self-repairing eliminating the need for many IT workers to just a few, many medical professionals can be rendered obsolete with vast medical databases and precision instruments. The list can go on and on.
But how does any of this help us? By training us to be antisocial and dependent on boxes? By making our own existence obsolete? It's not like we'll be living in a Utopian world where since everything is automated we'll be able to sit in the lap of luxury drawing paintings and reciting poetry. No. People will want power, people will want money. And people will always find a way to sap it out of you until you're dry.
As tinfoil hat as it sounds, I don't see the creepy future of a Walmart society, where people work at walmart, and wind up having to buy only at walmart because we allowed them to degrade our quality of life to a point of subservience because we wanted 97c Cheetos, and automated checkouts.
I don't know.
Maybe I'm a rare breed, but I don't mind in the least if I have to pay a little more for something to support smaller businesses, and local producers, and dealing with something a little more primitive tech if it means that a few people will have it just a little bit easier to put food on the table, local business thrives a little more, and knowing that i made the world just a little better place, instead of lining the pockets of corporations who care nothing about the people who make the company float in the first place.
Caring about the well-being of your fellow man, supporting indie businesses, musicians, growers, and raging against the business machine isn't communism, it's community.
Sometimes we forget that the term community actually applies and needs applying to the fleshed out world, and not just in contexts like Digg. - jimmiem, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3As an employer, I would definately embrace these babies. Employees suck. They don't give a ***** about losing their jobs. They don't give a ***** if the customers are happy or if business is good. There's no sense of responsibility or accountability. If everything goes to *****, so what? They get to quit and move on to the next crappy job. They take no pride in their work. This is why they'll gladly finish telling a joke to one of their co-workers before asking you if you are ready to order. This is why they'll let you stand there for 5 minutes wondering what the ***** they're doing while not even once thinking to say "I'll be right with you." Your order is going to be wrong, because they're not paying attention to you when you give it to them. They're on auto-pilot, just hoping to get through their shift. Can you imagine another explaination for why you can order THREE things, and when they read it back to you the first item is not at all what you asked for? If you say "Whopper with cheese, hold the pickle," you can be sure they've entered -lettuce into the register. Replace them all, I say. Maybe the knowledge that soon there won't be any unskilled jobs will change their ***** attitudes.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5I'm sure a Manager would be on hand for problems. I mean, how often does the Register Jockey fix your messed up order? You're like "Hey, asshat, my taco wasn't supposed to have any ***** lettuce!" and he just stares at you blankly until Steve the Assistant Manager comes by and gets you a new one.
This will only streamline things. I'd rather punch buttons myself than have some ghetto trash do it for me. And if someone is retarded I'll push their fat ass aside and take their order for them. - Cojawfee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Does the taco crap ice cream?
- hecktate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3so really all they did was spin the registers around. Congratulations...now YOU work at Taco Bell/KFC...and they don't even have to pay you.
- somesthetic, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3finally.
Im terribly antisocial, and theres nothing worse than the penetrating glare of a cashier waiting for me to figure out what I want to order.
the people that it puts out of work can all go the walmart and get jobs anyways. hooray for walmart and computers replacing humans! - zodieman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"On February 21, 2006, The Colonel became self-aware."
Best quote from that site! ;) - Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Pretty soon we'll all be replaced by robots, and be living in a work-free paradise! Either that, or grubbing for roots and berries in the wilderness. Maybe we'll have robots that will dumpster dive for us and procure bottles of Thunderbird and OE 800. The future is limitlessnesslyishlike!
- inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2> It's win-win either way.
I disagree. I'll admit that what you're saying seems to make sense, but it goes a little deeper with me. There's a part of me that will not accept this for a variety of reasons.
The first being, as I've already said, that I don't work there so don't ask me to push buttons. That's someone else's job.
The second (somewhat tied to the first) is that this is just another way for a bunch of greedy suits at some corporation that's already rolling in the cash to shed a few more minimum wage paychecks so they can reward themselves with fatter and juicier bonuses and get a round of applause from their shareholders. I'm just sick to death of this momentum in the U.S. that pushes us toward eliminating work in order to reward a segment of society that does nothing but sit back and figure out clever ways to push numbers around and squeeze greater and greater profits out of fewer and fewer workers. This ***** just hits me on a philosophical level and I won't be a part of it. I think it's wrongheaded and destructive, much in the same way I feel that patronizing places like Wal-Mart is. There are just some things you have to look at from a wider perspective and ask yourself, does this little benefit to me benefit all of us? Or am I just being a willing cog in this never-ending machinery that keeps chewing up the little people and ***** them out when there's nothing left of them?
So, I won't do it. I won't be a willing partner in helping some greedy corporation eliminate someone's job, no matter how unrewarding or unimportant the job may be to anyone else. - editevening, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2this reminds me of japan.
- zeebo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Great! More jobs lost to automation. Ever since the factory here closed down in my hometown, people have been fighting to the death over ***** jobs like those. I'm sure they'll be thrilled.
I'm all for automation, modernization and such. But seriously, what do you do with the thousands of people who you've made obsolete if we're not going to turn into a socialist welfare state like europe has because of the exact same situation there. There aren't any companies fighting to come in there, they're all too busy sucking up to china. Seriously, what do you do? Not everyone is like me and can leave and go a thousand miles or more to find work. - Arramol, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I dunno, a lot of people just can't stand living off of welfare. A lot of people think of the poor as lazy bums who need to get a job, but many of them are legitimate victims of circumstance.
- Dgen_X, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I would much rather have a computer and robot preparing my food rather than using a computer to order
gone would be the day of the meatless taco, or the crunchwrap with no cheese which isn't folded right so all the tomatos fall out the hole inthe top... - nmcglennon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I don't think this is good. The image of kids with greasy chicken on their fingers trying to place another order on the TOUCH screen runs through my head...
Also, if these things go down, what is plan B? Close the restaurant?
Just skepticism though... - jpt62089, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4This is awesome, BUT I think this is going a bit too far, pretty soon we will have machines making our food? Can you say job killer? Personally I don't want to work in fast food, but others might or may have to work at these places!
I say limit these to one per store if neccesarry. Just like the self checkout at grocery stores... usually only 4-6 and like 10-20 regular registers... - EaDsUs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They had machines like this in Disney's California Adventure at runway restaurant. Very cool things to use.
- CaptainBryan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1By 2015 it'll probably be Regan and Max Headroom.
Max'll be Public Domain by then, right? - mckinnej, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Almost all of our local stores removed these things because the rednecks couldn't figure them out/didn't trust them/wouldn't use them and when they tried, it caused long delays. They had a choice of putting someone out there to oversee the self-checkouts or get rid of them. Since putting an employee out there pretty much defeated the purpose, they canned them. That really sucks because the rest of us that could use these things have to wait in line. These things will face the same difficulties.
- Theoleander, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is bad news for me. I work at Taco Bell and have for 8 months now. I am moving up quickly, and since my second month, have the fastest drive-thru times, and I almost never hear a complaint (we have many long-time employees). I work in Medford Oregon, where we have 4 stores, and there is always one within about 2 miles of another.
I really like my job believe it or not. I have worked at all the different stores for a couple days or more, and I really love the customer-employee interaction. I think there's just something about feeding the country that is appealing to me. Not to say that we never get *****, and sometimes I wanna take a crowbar to their face, but in general, that's rarely an issue.
Just thought you guys might like hearing the other side of the story. I don't ever want one of those in my store. - SilentBobSC, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Am I the only one who thinks this kinda adds to the spread of germs? I'm by no means a neat-freak, but it's bad enough when the snot-nosed kids slime you with their hands. (and before anyone goes off on me, we all were snot-nosed kids at one point)
- Schmitty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I don't think it's because they want to replace people. Having been in a cashier position before, they know the machine will always, 100%, always UPSELL! You know, that annoying little diddy about getting the slightly larger cup of soda for another 39 cents...when they have REFILL STATIONS?! You know, that crap. I HATED "upselling" to customers. Made me feel like I was supposed to tell the customer what they had to order, and then the customer would proceed to tell me where I could stick the bigger cup. >-> All because of the bottom line. Well, @royster, I hope the same situation happens for all the TB's and KFC's.
- inkswamp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1> As an employer, I would definately embrace these babies.
> Employees suck. They don't give a ***** about losing their
> jobs. They don't give a ***** if the customers are happy or
> if business is good.
If I had an employer with your attitude, I wouldn't give a ***** about the job either. - dongiaconia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Wow. That reminds me of the iPod Vending machine (Yes, iPod vending machine) I saw in San Francisco at the Sony Metreon last week....
- omaryak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Unlike some immigrants who lack certain language skills, the computer never screws up my order. It's why I order my pizzas online. It should be an option, though, not a replacement.
- neozeed, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Cool, just like the dive places in Japan... No fuss, no muss & no *****! just quick food! .... which is what the idea of these places is in the 1st place. Not to mention you dont have people messing with money, and stealing from the till. Everyone wins!
- nickconfer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1interesting idea. It would be cool if they had these as optional machines to avoid lines at the register. Or if the machines are hot items, then the registers are open. Either way, could be nice. It certainly has worked in the grocery markets.
- Theoleander, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Well, first off, blugu64 is absolutely right, about labor eating up a ton of Taco Bell's profit. That's why over-time is a sin in fast food.
As for you GeneHACKman, when we get our food (I work at Taco Bell, as said in my previous post), it is packaged air-tight, and is never mishandled by an employee (in all of the stores that I have worked at, there is no "spitting", "*****", or "pissing" in food, and we try to keep our lobby as clean as possible. Another thing is, we are constantly sweeping our floors, and every night use 180 degree Bunn water, and tile soap to clean the tile, and a deck brush to clean in-between the groute. Almost never is there anything left behind after such a massacre.
So, don't say that every place is like that. I am doing my beginning manager training, and I am on a list of "hopefuls" for upper area management (meaning I would oversee all of the stores in the mid-northwest.) And so far I have never had a hint of foul play. No one wants to get fired from their jobs, so they try to do a good job almost all of the time. Those that don't always try, are given less hours, never get a raise, and are almost always gone before a years time is up.
And as a side-note, Taco Bell is owned by YUM Corp. They own more than you think i.e. Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, Long John Silvers, A&W, and many, MANY other large corporations/franchises. - calabria, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1and the moral of the story is....
get an education so you end up with a job that isn't replaceable by a machine - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Makes sense, people preffer to go on welfare than working a minimun wage job at KFC,
- AuAndCs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1someone understands my plight!
- hiway7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They had these at the taco bell at the Tustin Marketplace in the mid-90's. They were removed because the system did not work well with custom orders. I liked the kiosk system, i hope they take off again since it's good to talk to someone who speaks english when ordering food. (especially in California)
- usermike2098, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1ahh it's like we're making ourselves obsolete
- striker1211, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1How about "6 items or less"... i almost shot, im serious, i went to sporting goods and bought a gun, someone in front of me who had 36 ***** items at a 12-item U-scan lane at meijer (grocery store).
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"the people that it puts out of work can all go the walmart and get jobs anyways. hooray for walmart and computers replacing humans!"
I'm a high school grad, Iraq and Afghan war vet, and college student, and I couldn't even get an interview at walmart. Maybe the computer application screwed up, just like its going to screw up our food orders now. Nothing new though, just more broke people. - brhad56, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1As someone who has worked in a fast food restraunt, I don't think these things will fly. Fast food is all about speed and friendlyness. "I want a number one ,no lettuce or pickle, biggie sized, with a coke, no ice". Takes about 5 seconds to say your order and another 5 for an employee to ring it in and tell you your total. 10 seconds to hand them a $10 and recieve your change back, give you a smile and say thank you!. So an order with a person is about 20 seconds. NEXT!
Now, put an idiot infront of those machines. I bet we're now talking 60 seconds per order. Which means the employee could take 120 more orders in one hour than the machine could. I think that's well worth the $6/hr wage alone. And factor in that the machine doesn't give a sincere smile, isn't able to inform you that there will be an 11 minute wait on your grilled chicken, answer a question like "Can you put ranch on that instead of mayo?", understand orders like "I want half diet coke, half coke". More time to take orders. Less customer services. Customers will be fed up and go next door. - Dabellah, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I don't like to see this type of stuff only because it puts people out of jobs.
- trunkster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I wonder...
"Hello, ca ca ca can I take your or or or or order?"
Nah I'm sure they have the audio down, but can it take voice commands?
No so no digg because you made me think of the coolness of back to the future II where you can talk to the computer. :) - retawd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Where I live and I'm sure its pretty common, ppl smoke weed for hours, then end up at Taco Bell. Great, now Joe Stoner and his buddies have a giant talking taco pooping ice cream to distract him while he learns to program his "Munchie Machine" and tries to recover from the life altering humor of seeing a button that says "hard beef" for the 7th time that week. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting...
- blankoboy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2When can they eliminate the idiots who are making (spitting in) our food in the back?
I'd much rather be eating R2-D2's hydraulic lubricants than some welfare case's seme. - ChewyBass, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment. ~Warren G. Bennis
- suMMx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1guys give me a break on the stupid germ thing, you will get the same germs on the door handle to enter the resturaunt so just stop with that stupid argument.
- omaryak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Check that – if you look at the photo, the computer is a supplement to the worker, not a replacement: http://flickr.com/photos/beersy/102832813/in/set-72057594068320231/
- panique, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1BAD IDEA
1. germ transmission vector
2. idiots who can't figure out how to navigate the system or who are not visually dominant will make the lines take longer, other people (like me) will walk across the street to Mickey D's or better yet, White Castle, where they have humans taking your order - oblivinated, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1If they run on a Windows operating system man... just imagine how many times it'll crash a day.
- retawd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11.)Find my own news
2.)Post it on Digg
3.)Look at the posts of others
4.)Determine the worthiness of multiple posts
5.)Contribute to the editorial page
6.)Repeat on a daily basis without compensation
7.)Actively reduce the need for journalists, editors, photographers, paper delivery staff, paper manufacturers, recycling companies, billing departments, billing software developers, etc...
We ARE the cheap labor taking away jobs. - 808kick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Wow one less job opprotunity once I'm finished Computer Engineering at school...
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