McDonald’s rolls out self-service cash kiosks that could make cashiers obsolete

McDonald’s is rolling out a new digital kiosk that can accept cash and spit out change – a move that could pave the way for the fast food giant to do away with the need for human cashiers.

The world’s largest burger chain had installed self-order screens that accepted credit card payments at most of its locations in 2020, but those kiosks still required customers paying in cash to complete their purchases at the counter.

The new cash kiosks — which have been installed in just a few restaurants so far — will allow Big Mac lovers to bypass that process, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the story.

“These changes allow franchisees to meet our customers’ increased desire for digital options while improving speed and accuracy,” a McDonald’s spokesperson told The Post on Wednesday.

The screens behind the counter at McDonald’s locations usually display the full menu. Now, they will highlight select items and encourage guests to order at self-serve kiosks or on the McDonald’s app, the company said.

Cash kiosks are optional for the company’s franchisees – who own and operate about 95% of the approximately 14,300 McDonald’s locations in the US.

Less than 2% of those franchisees have opted to use the new kiosks and screens so far, McDonald’s USA told The Post.

The company, which employs about 2 million workers, said there is no timeline for a broad rollout.

The new screens will not result in job cuts, the McDonald’s spokesman insisted.

Instead, cashiers will be reassigned to other roles, such as bringing food to customers who ordered online or major improvements to the “guest experience”.

But concerns remain that the continued push toward automation will make cashier roles obsolete in the future — especially after California’s minimum wage for fast-food workers rose to $20 an hour.

Taco Bell and Panera have used similar self-order displays in their restaurants.

Customers have embraced these new options, which can speed up wait times and reward loyal app customers with discounts and other benefits.

McDonald’s has reaped the benefits, as mobile app customers tend to be more loyal to the company and buy more add-ons like fries with their orders.

Orders made through the app, self-order screens or a delivery service accounted for more than 40% of McDonald’s sales in key markets during the third quarter of last year, the company said.

“Digital will continue to grow for us,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski told analysts in July. “We will have more and more customers on our digital platform.”