(FixThisNation.com) – McDonald’s is planning on discontinuing the self-serve beverage station that has been part of the inside dining room experience since 2004. Instead, customers will now need to ask servers at the counter in order to get a refill on their cap.
The company in a statement to FOX Business noted that this change was going to help ensure that all customers had a consistent experience regardless of whether they were ordering through the app, drive-thru, kiosk, or were sitting in the restaurant. The plan is to get all of the self-serve fountains to be removed from McDonald’s restaurants by 2032.
In Illinois, many of the McDonald’s restaurants have already gotten rid of their self-service machines according to the State Journal-Register.
Mikel Petro, a franchise owner, said that this was an evolution for the business and that it was the result of the digital service growth. Petro along with his family have 15 McDonald’s restaurants that they operate in Illinois. The franchise owner stated that there were several reasons that could be affecting this decision.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic many restaurants had to change the way they operated in order to reduce human contact, which is why many restaurants in Illinois employed an automated beverage system that would help fill drink orders mechanically. Replacing self-serve is also going to limit theft and remove some of the clutter in the McDonald’s dining room.
Many fast food companies have been using new technology in order to further speed up service and automate many tasks making service more convenient for customers who are looking for easier and faster service.
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