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Sunday, May 15, 2016

Wendy’s Serves Up Big Kiosk Expansion As Wage Hikes Hit Fast Food

Wendy’s (WEN) said that self-service ordering kiosks will be made available across its 6,000-plus restaurants in the second half of the year as minimum wage hikes and a tight labor market push up wages.

It will be up to franchisees whether to deploy the labor-saving technology, but Wendy’s President Todd Penegor did note that some franchise locations have been raising prices to offset wage hikes.

McDonald’s (MCD) has been testing self-service kiosks. But Wendy’s, which has been vocal about embracing labor-saving technology, is launching the biggest potential expansion.

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17 comments:

Anonymous said...

No problem for me because Wendy's food sucks anyway!

Anonymous said...

BK on Mt Hermon has kiosks. Too bad the screens point towards your belly button - it makes ordering really difficult. Wawa kiosks have been in use for years. It's odd BK can't even get basic ergonomics correct.

You get a 3% discount for ordering from the kiosk, and they actually take your order correctly. I'd call that an improvement.

After the order is placed, the employees ignore the food order, just like if you used a real cashier. I'd call that a draw.

Anonymous said...

How is it a problem to order using a computer screen? Wawa has them and soon all fast/junk food places will.

Anonymous said...

BK has the screens with the 3% discount too. I don't have belly button problems with them.

Anonymous said...

Again another BS article and propaganda. Screen ordering has been in place for years. People are ignorant to believe this garbage.

Drew said...

All these jobs are going that direction, increase in minimum wage or not. Look at all the self checkouts that now exist.

Anonymous said...

Liberals have no one to blame but themselves for this BS. I can't wait to see how hard it is to get help in a Walmart after the minimum wage goes up, if Walmart remains in business. Liberals always want to nose their big snouts in private sector business and then are stifled for a explanation to voters when job market is so bleak and no end in sight. Government get the hell out of business and quit regulating the hell out of it, you might find the economy will go up by leaps and bounds.

Ridiculous nonsense.

Anonymous said...

Walmarts in my area already have 10-15 self checkout lines.

Anonymous said...

I refuse to use the kiosks.

Anonymous said...

Thank you 1:52. You salvaged at least some of my faith in people to think for themselves. Too bad you have so many outlets trying to spread this kind of b.s. story line. Folks, in case you can't see, these companies are looking for all kind of ways to grab bigger and bigger profits largely by kicking you off the payroll and decreasing quality. Then they spout out stories like this so that we turn on each other and race even harder to the employment bottom.

Anonymous said...

300-Boo hoo, learn a skill or a trade and move out of Momma's basement.

Anonymous said...

2:58 Bet you wouldn't pump your own gas either. How did that work out?

Anonymous said...

I love it. Gets my order correct and i dont have to talk to some stupid kid. $15 dollars an hour my ass.

Anonymous said...

Hell, it's hard to get help in Walmart now. And even if they acknowledge you, they can't answer your question.

Anonymous said...

You people will argue about anything won't you? Who gives AF? Use kiosk or don't. Stop whining about everything.

Anonymous said...

So you save 3% by using the kiosks instead of a cashier. If those cashiers' pay was such a make-or-break labor expense that "Big Macs would be $8 each" or "companies would go out of business" then getting only 3% off is a huge ripoff. From the way people talk about the impact a significant pay increase would have on fast food profits, it sounds like they should give more like a 30% discount.

Anonymous said...

9:36 3% x millions of kiosks = a chunk. That's how companies stay profitable.