brent phillips

I’m at Hartsfield this morning waiting to head to NY for the week. I was feeling a bit parched so I stopped next door at the Burger King to grab a beverage.  My expectation of these fast food places is not very high - so I was pleasantly surprised by the new order process - computer based and largely automated. To get my drink, I simply walked through the ‘cattle’ ropes and used an ATM like machine that not only took my order, but also suggested I grab a dessert!?!?! (cannot forget the upsell). I payed with one swipe of a card and my reciept printed in almost real-time. And by the time I walked about four feet, my cup was waiting for me. Completely automated and completely self-serve.  I also noticed that the labor had been realigned. There was one attendant to help people order, only one traditional cashier / food runner, and more people on the supply side in the back. I’m guessing this is probably about the same number (or slightly fewer) that the typical storefront but optimized for significantly better service. Granted, there was less traffic this morning, but I imagine that they have a lot more room and flexibility to deal with volume now that the the production line has been stream-lined.

As technology evolves, I see greater efficiency on the horizon. I’ve often imagined being able to ‘quick key’ my favorite coffee beverage into my phone and dial it in while I’m driving to the café.  My phone could be tied to a digital account that I could manage online - whether I order through my device or at the store, I could debit the account via PIN or via an RF mechanism in the device. 

It is certainly interesting what we are beginning to automate and how that automation impacts our lives. Best experience I’ve had at a fast food establishment in a long time.