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McDonald's kiosks no threat to jobs, CEO says

May 31, 2016

McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook recently said that the company's self-ordering kiosks are unlikely to cut jobs and are "not meant as a labor replacement," according to a report by Investor's Business Daily. Easterbrook made the comment during a shareholder meeting as protestors outside demanded higher wages. 

An attendee at the meeting asked, "With all the talk and all the protesters and the $15-an-hour wage, if that is mandated, if the government does raise the minimum wage, do you see McDonald's substituting capital — having kiosks where people order, automatic pancake machines and things like that taking the place of workers where people will end up losing jobs because of the higher wages?"

"If we were able to alternate certain nonvalue-added processes in the restaurant we'll do that because it's a smart thing to do," Easterbrook replied. "But then that gives us more opportunity to bring that manpower front-of-house — we can offer better dining area experience and service experience. So I don't see it being a risk to job elimination."

Easterbrook did say that the new technology could change employees' jobs slightly as they adjust to handling mobile and kiosk orders.