McDonald’s Innovates with New Store Format Aiming to Eliminate Cashiers

McDonald’s is set to trial an innovative store format designed to eliminate the need for cashiers, allowing customers to pay with cash without human interaction.

Many fast-food establishments already offer self-ordering kiosks that enable patrons to place their orders without waiting in line for a cashier. Additionally, customers can use mobile apps to bypass queues altogether.

Nonetheless, existing ordering systems typically exclude cash payments, requiring customers to interact with cashiers even when using self-service kiosks.

To address this limitation, McDonald’s is introducing a new store design that features ordering stations capable of accepting cash and providing change.

In this new setup, the menus displayed behind the counter will not showcase the full range of offerings.

As reported by Bloomberg, this redesign will enable cash-paying customers to completely skip the cash register, making cashiers unnecessary.

Historically, cashiers were present primarily for those paying in cash, as most patrons opted for card payments. The new approach allows staff members to be reassigned to other roles within the store.

The revamped system means that menu screens behind the cashier will display only select items, encouraging customers to place orders via kiosks or mobile apps.

While the role of cashiers may change, they will still be available for customers requesting printed menus or personal assistance with their orders, although the majority will now be facilitated through kiosks.

“These changes allow franchises to meet our customers’ increased desire for digital options, while improving speed and accuracy,” a McDonald’s representative stated, according to Bloomberg. The company has yet to announce a timeline for a broader rollout.

According to McDonald’s, over 40% of their sales in the third quarter of 2023 came from orders placed through their mobile app or kiosks.

As a result, it seems that we may soon bid farewell to the classic “can I get uhhh” moment at the cashier, although this shift will undoubtedly enhance the overall speed of the ordering process.