Place: McDonald's
Lunch: McRibble, fries, Fanta Orange
PREVIOUSLY ON THE LUNCHTIME SOCIAL: Val was committed after suffering yet another breakdown when Gary left her for Olivia. Karen befriended the new neighbors, not realizing they were serial killers. Greg sold The Sumner Group and feigned dementia in an elaborate plot that made no sense. And Sam had a McRibble and played with the McDonald's app order process.
The McDonald's by the Townhouse of Solitude just finished a major and badly needed remodel. The building was a hybrid convenience store. The convenience store part closed years ago. McDonald's now has possession of the whole building and has expanded the dining room and its waaay super nicer decor into the convenience store space and added a PlayPlace. It also has all the latest McTech, including self-order kiosks.
Lets PLAY!
The Girl With Pink Hair greets the incoming and encourages everyone to self-order. The kiosk screen is FREAKING HUGE. The screen itself may well be three feet tall.
"Do you need any help?" asks The Girl With Pink Hair.
"No, I'll figure it out."
The screen encourages me to touch it. Isn't that how all those celebrities got into trouble? Upon touching, the standby screen disappears and food options appear. You can pick types of sandwiches (burgers, chicken & fish, other) or choose the Extra Value meals menu. I go for that, looking for the McRib deal, but the McRib doesn't exist. Fine. I go back to the main menu and try Chicken & Fish. Nope. Other? No. Look, McRib season can't possibly be over already. I give up and pull up burgers and...oh, there it is.
When you choose the two McRib's (where you get the second for a buck), it automatically makes it a combo because that's part of the deal. Why isn't this under the Extra Value menu? Because it's becoming apparent the people behind the kiosk and app software have no idea what they're doing.
I accidentally order two combos. So I hit Cancel and start over. The Girl With Pink Hair, who apparently has been peering over my shoulder this whole time, says "Oh nooooooo!"
I start over and complete the transaction. The thing asks you to choose your drink because I suppose you're not getting a cup from the kiosk, but I'm wrong. There's cups right by the kiosks. You're apparently on the honor system to choose the right size or if you even bought a drink in the first place. The Girl With Pink Hair hands me the proper cup. You also need to choose a plastic table number and tell the machine what number you took. Total process...about 800 times longer than walking up to a human cashier and saying "McRib deal."
You can customize items to a limited degree, probably even less so than with the aop.
Also new is the drink fountain. The big part that usually has the Coca Cola logo is a touch screen that you swipe through drink options. Select an option. touch it, and soda flows into your cup.
My food arrives at my table and I eat while watching all the kids in here. Some are in pajamas. No idea why.
The hardware's there.
The software needs help.
