I stood in line to order a custom burger from a futuristic McDonald's kiosk - and now I get why the company is betting on them
Business Insider
The kiosks are gigantic touchscreens that let you customize your burger with toppings like guacamole, grilled mushroom or onions, bacon, and sauces like sriracha mayo. The kiosks have drawbacks, like not working in the drive-thrus that provide 70% of McDonald's revenue, and being relatively expensive.
But I stood in line to try one at the McDonald's VIP lounge at South by Southwest, and I get why the company is betting on them to succeed.
The hype in the line was palpable. South by Southwest has a lot of "experiences" set up by marketers, but people were genuinely excited to order a custom McDonald's burger, more excited than they were to see an exclusive "Game of Thrones" trailer.
Why? One reason is that the interface lets you customize burgers in ways that would be annoying otherwise. Are you going to ask the cashier to read you out every possible option at every step (sauces, for example)? No, it just doesn't work. But with the clicking and swiping of the kiosk, which felt like an oversized smartphone, it's easy and takes seconds. And you get to craft your perfect burger.
Here's what it was like:
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- One of the world's only 5-star airlines seems to be considering asking business-class passengers to bring their own cutlery
- Experts warn of rising temperatures in Bengaluru as Phase 2 of Lok Sabha elections draws near
- Axis Bank posts net profit of ₹7,129 cr in March quarter
- 7 Best tourist places to visit in Rishikesh in 2024
- From underdog to Bill Gates-sponsored superfood: Have millets finally managed to make a comeback?
- 7 Things to do on your next trip to Rishikesh