Lart week, stopped by the first McDs opened in Rome; opened in 86.

Seats 390 people.

No order takers, all kiosks.

I liked it. Worked great.

I'm not sure how many jobs are at risk, but I expect full blown conversion over here at some point.

Guessing kids forced that decision, because flying all the way to Italy to have McDonald's is an...uh...interesting decision.

I travel to Europe about 4 to 5 times a year. Euro McD's seem a little bit better quality and is bullet proof for a quick bite because you know exactly what you are getting. And the kiosks are great because you can order in English at your own pace.

Self serve kiosks at McDonalds and Taco Bell are common in the US. I have seen them in Taiwan and Japan too.

They are testing automated kitchens too.

Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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They often have different meals than you can get in the states

Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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Way different than Rome, but after a week straight of eating local in Taiwan, the TGI Fridays just had a magical glow to it.

Also fun fact, there are 3 Texas Roadhouses in Taiwan. Exact same menus. Staff wear the same t-shirts. They play country music and its exactly the same as the US...only you can't throw peanuts on the floor.

Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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I can't fathom traveling across town to eat at Mcadonald's.

There's literally a McD just around the corner and I've yet to stop in since I've moved in 3 years ago.

Tanya 93 said:

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Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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They often have different meals than you can get in the states

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I was traveling in Japan and had a craving for a hamburger after weeks of consuming Japanese food.

I got a teriyaki burger at McDonalds in Kyoto. It was oishi(delicious).

Rome, for sure would not eat fast food, but the pizza we had at a Pizza Hut in Antwerp was WAY better than any we've had here, and after a few weeks of European food, it was nice to have something with some substance.

The had order kiosks in a McDs in Conroe 20 years ago. Never understand why this is not just how it was done. I would rather the humans focus on ensuring what goes in the bag matches what comes out of my mouth ot input into a screen / app.

Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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It depends. On my first trip to Europe on a school trip, we were literally served rancid meat in Paris at a restaurant. After my Spanish teacher ripped the entire staff of that place a new *******, we went down the street and ate at McDonalds.

That was also when I discovered that they serve alcohol at McDonalds in non-US locations.

I'm too old to use the McDonald's kiosks. I generally don't want the items they are pushing on the main menu. I generally want stuff buried on sub-menus that I can't find.

Teslag said:

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I travel to Europe about 4 to 5 times a year. Euro McD's seem a little bit better quality and is bullet proof for a quick bite because you know exactly what you are getting. And the kiosks are great because you can order in English at your own pace.

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Oh, they have them here. They are called Chick-fil-A.

I don't travel a lot. I was sick of "Italian food" at that point and I was in a hurry.

I hit up McDs maybe 2-3 times a year in the US for a breakfast sandwich. That's about it.

Except for some seafood dishes they make, eg spaghetti alle Vongole, I can match any Italian dish on any given day. It's nothing special.


But the point of this thread is the wonderful experience I had engaging with a machine. They need to accelerate the process over here

Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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You are missing out. Years ago when I was in France I had fried Camembert Cheese nuggets with a raspberry dipping sauce. When I was in Canada in April the had poutine with McDonalds fries. I just checked the Italy menu and you can get a burger with asiago cheese, dry cured bacon, and grilled zucchini. They also have fries with cheddar sauce, Chicken Big Macs, and something called a Grand Crispy McBacon.


But if international travel isn't you thing, take a short trip to Chicago and visit the global headquarters of McDonald's. On the first floor they have a McDonald's restaurant the serves a "Global Menu" of rotating items from around the world

When I was a 19 yr old jarhead on a 6 month tour of the Pacific (Philippines, Thailand, S. Korea, Singapore, HK...) by the time I got to Hong Kong I was craving hamburgers so badly that I ate at McD's twice a day for a week. I literally toured HK with a map made by McDonald's that had all the attractions and the closest McD's to them. It was awesome. Every McDonald's was packed with plenty of nice outdoor seating in some locations.

Nowadays, if I'm eating at a McDonald's something has gone terribly wrong.

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But the point of this thread is the wonderful experience I had engaging with a machine. They need to accelerate the process over here

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The Politics angle of this thread is that kiosks were brought to you by minimum wage laws.

Idiots who think raising minimum wages without repercussions have yet to learn this lesson. Raising the cost of doing business has a hard ceiling against what people can or are willing to pay for the product or service.

Tanya 93 said:

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Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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They often have different meals than you can get in the states

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Like the Royale with cheese

Newslflash: They have kiosks in every McDonalds here in America.

Carlo4 said:

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Newslflash: They have kiosks in every McDonalds here in America.

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And a phone app. The phone app is even easier to order from than the kiosk. And just about every fast food place has an order app now.

Carlo4 said:

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Newslflash: They have kiosks in every McDonalds here in America.

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The kiosks must be made by the same company that makes the ice cream machine for McDonalds because they are frequently out of service.

Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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You would be surprised. I said the same thing once when I was in Europe for five weeks. Avoided any chains for the first four weeks, but during that fifth week I broke down, and the Burger King was very good.

Carlo4 said:

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Newslflash: They have kiosks in every McDonalds here in America.

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I haven't been inside a McDs restaurant in a decade.

Need to completely replace humans with them. Has that been done? Or just a single kiosk that no one uses?

I thought all MCD's were now full kiosk with no counter service.

Tanya 93 said:

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Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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They often have different meals than you can get in the states

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But they're in ROME! So much good food everywhere!

Didn't order one, but there were McLobster's in the Boston Micky D's.

Tanya 93 said:

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Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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They often have different meals than you can get in the states

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In Louisiana you can get fried frog legs at McDonald's.

Ask for the McRibbit.

Tanya 93 said:

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Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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They often have different meals than you can get in the states

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Royale with cheese

akm91 said:

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There's literally a McD just around the corner and I've yet to stop in since I've moved in 3 years ago.

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The place I work is a fast food desert. Sometimes when I need food quick (couple times a month), I'll order 2 regular hamburgers. They aren't bad, they are cheap, consistent, and quick. It's not like I set out to go there, but when the chocies ar practically non existent.... well....

Shagga said:

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Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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You would be surprised. I said the same thing once when I was in Europe for five weeks. Avoided any chains for the first four weeks, but during that fifth week I broke down, and the Burger King was very good.

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Same here. In Germany for 3 weeks. Sausages every single meal for 3 weeks got really old. VERY GOOD sausages, but 3 weeks?

BTW, there was no Micky Ds.

I broke down and bought a rotisserie chicken and loaf of bread from this market that had them in the window. I didn't speak a word of German, nor them English. I probably paid twice the value, but it was probably the best chicken I ever ate.

After a week or more of northern Europe food, American fast food place looks really good....I hit a burger King in oslo one time....lol,

Seamaster said:

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Maybe you travel a ton so its old hat but I simply cannot fathom traveling to a place like Rome and choosing McDonalds for any meal, ever.

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When in Rome...