Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

McDonald’s unveils self-order kiosks, table service in Las Vegas

Mcdonalds self kiosks and table service

Mikayla Whitmore

A digital self-order kiosk is shown during a grand reopening at McDonald’s, 6480 S. Durango Drive, on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.

Self-Order Kiosks at McDonald's

Members celebrate and cut a ribbon during a grand reopening debuting new technology at the McDonald's located at 6480 S. Durango Dr. in Las Vegas, Nev. on March 22, 2017. Launch slideshow »

Customers walking to the checkout area of a southwest valley McDonald’s can see that the technological future of fast-food ordering and customer service has arrived to Las Vegas in the form of two bright touchscreen kiosks.

Customers — as of Wednesday morning — have the opportunity to bypass a cashier and place their orders on the screens, take a seat at the lobby, and have their food delivered to them by table-service employees.

The restaurant, located at Sunset Road and Durango Drive, which reopened Wednesday after renovations, is one of 2,600 McDonald’s locations around the globe with the kiosk technology. It’s the first in the state.

The interactive menu is colorful and easy to navigate. Items are represented with high-definition photos, and each choice offers a calorie count. Customers have a chance to pay at the machine or walk up to the cash registers.

The experience is geared to those who want to order at their own pace and possibly discover items they may have not known the restaurant offers, the company said.

“This is a special day,” said franchise owner Ronald Smith during a ceremony outside the restaurant. “This is a labor of love."

In the ceremony, Smith and Ronald McDonald cut a red ribbon with a pair of oversized scissors, and Smith was presented certificates from local officials.

One of the documents, sent by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, offered congratulations and a message of good wishes. A proclamation on behalf of the Clark County Commission declared March 22 as Frsco Corp. Day in honor of Smith's company.

Smith, who has opened and operated 13 McDonald's locations in Clark County since he moved here about 20 years ago, employs over 560 employees, his company said.

When asked about the debate of machines possibly replacing human employees in the future, Smith said he understands that concern but said that the kiosk system in his restaurant opened up positions for table-side servers, leaving the restaurant with a net gain of six positions more than were available before the location closed for remodeling. Only one register was removed, he added.

"You bring technology in and it creates more opportunities for people,” he said.

Smith said he expects that by 2020, "most if not all" McDonald's locations will have similar kiosks and that other technological advances in fast-food service are in the works.

Wearing a tan suit with a lapel pin with golden arches and the American flag, Smith fondly spoke about his experience with McDonald's, a career path his son Christopher is following. “I truly love this business, and this is not work for me, this is my life.”

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