Consumers are losing interest in fast food, instead preferring the slightly classier fare served at establishments like Five Guys or Smashburger. In Australia, McDonald’s is experimenting with an interesting idea: fancier burgers with ingredients that customers choose themselves, using a magical touchscreen burger-ordering machine. People in Australia like it, but would it work back here in the burger chain’s home country?

If this sounds familiar, it’s because McDonald’s has been testing something similar in California. There, diners construct regular burgers and can add extra toppings not normally available at McDonald’s, like guacamole. Ordering also takes place without pesky human interaction there, but using a tablet-sized ordering kiosk.

Burger Business reports that in Australia, the burgers are classier, costing about $8 by themselves and maybe $10.50 with fries and a beverage. Your meal comes on a wooden tray, and the fries in a little basket instead of a cardboard container. Some toppings (vegetables, mainly) don’t cost extra, but others like tortilla strips or guacamole do.

The system isn’t completely free from human interaction: diners can order their food and even pay using the kiosks, but a server brings burgers over once they’re ready. This system is surprisingly successful, and the company already plans to roll it out over all 900 or so McDonald’s outlets in Australia.

McDonald’s Adding BYO Kiosks in Australia [Burger Business]
Fast food favourite undergoing a major makeover [A Current Affair]

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