McDonald’s has unveiled its first largely automated location, complete with touchscreens, automatic windows and a conveyer belt. The Texas location has stirred mixed reactions.
One Twitter user wrote, “this is what you get with a $25 minimum wage.”
This test concept of a restaurant is only in Texas right now, where the minimum wage is actually $7.25. And it’s been that way in the state for nearly a decade.
Across the country, most McDonald’s workers get less than $15 per hour, according to the Economic Policy Institute. That’s below a living wage in almost every state.
Regardless, the fast food industry isn’t faring well, with labor shortages lingering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result, 60% of restaurants have reduced hours of operation, while 38% have closed their doors on days they’d normally be open, according to the National Restaurant Association.
While this test restaurant plays into fears that jobs are being taken over by robots and automation, the fast food giant responded in a statement. McDonald’s said the concept “is not fully automated”, claiming it still employs a team of people, comparable to that of a traditional store.
