Electronic ordering kiosks/self-checkout

[MetalMasterC]

I don't mean it in a judgmental way, and I really don't think it has a lot to do with bad experiences with older people. It is just a major generational difference I see in how the younger people around me, from my classmates in college (I finished my bachelors 2 years ago, at 37) to the teenagers/young adults who hang around my house with my 20 and 17yo kids. I don't see it as angry or entitled or anything like that, just something interesting and at some level a bit unsettling about the ways they tend to communicate. For example, a lot of the younger people I know won't order a pizza if they have to call it in; they only use the companies with online ordering. In our town, that means foregoing two independent places that have excellent pizza in favor of one of the two mediocre chains that have internet or app ordering, but that's a trade-off they're willing to make to avoid what they consider to be an awkward and unnecessary interaction. Likewise, they *love* Amazon. Even when there are places they could go in town to get the same products at similar prices, they'd rather order online and have it appear in the mailbox than venture out to brick & mortar retailers. So I think, as their generation ages and becomes the dominant consumer demographic, things like kiosks and mobile/online ordering will become essential to retail and food service success regardless of concerns about wages, staffing, or any of that.

I get it. I understand. It's just a part of our evolution of society. We interact differently now than 25 years ago. For businesses, it's either adapt of perish. Most cut out the middle man.

When I mention angry or entitled people, I mean those who are of previous generations and how they treat younger people today. It's the whole generation gap. That's not everyone, but since they are brought up in a certain timeline, they interact differently and most never change that. They expect others to follow suit. Like I said, we're too transfixed on trying to be in a perfect situation and being judged for something if it goes wrong. Anxiety at it's worst. Sadly, this has some merit to it. Most of us already judge people for the interactions we have with others. People I work with will come to me and talk about stories of an odd moment they had with someone, when in reality, wasn't that bad to begin with. Sometimes these things happen. Yet, we judge them for it.

 

[Jennabeth]

Our local McDonalds has a customize button. Just yesterday DS got a burger with no mustard or onions from the kiosk.

I’m not a kiosk fan, but there is only a small menu shown at the cash so I use the kiosk to see the full menu and prices.

YES, THIS! I hate going in and the menu is incomplete and flashing different things and he drive through isn't much better (especially if you don't know what you want and want to see everything). I finally just started asking the person if they have things and how much it costs, so frustrating!

We have a shop and scan at our grocery store and I use it every week. I love that I can bag as I shop and see the prices even if the item isn't marked or the sale price sticker has fallen off. We go to the express lane, scan the QR code and all of the items transfer to the cash register. The attended usually has to scan some of our items to verify that we scanned them (the amount varies) and then we pay. We get through the check out so quickly and my bread isn't bagged with my canned goods!