Are fast food places becoming quasi members-only clubs?

[Michael_in_TX]

So (apparently) today is National Avocado Day. One of my colleagues discovered that at Chipotle they are giving away free chips and guac….but only if you use the app to order something in-store.

This reminded me of something I’ve noticed stopping at fast food chain places on the way back from my west and central Texas trips. Often, if you order from the app instead of the restaurant kiosk (those things are almost worth another post entirely), you get better pricing!

I learned this when a Cubmaster of a traveling Cub Scout group was making sure all the boys ordered from their phones (yes, they all had phones!) rather than the kiosk.

Other patrons in the store quickly overheard why and…we’re not happy at that McDonald’s. (I almost left to go to another place, but when you want a Spicy McChicken, you need your Spicy McChicken.)

Ah, modern life.

But in all seriousness, this trend of companies wanting marketing data at all costs is shutting out seniors or others not comfortable with technology….and that seems a step backwards.

[tenphases]

they want everyone to order through the app exclusively so they can fire people : /

I remember getting 50 free rides for downloading the lyft app once upon a time.

[Ace]

Michael Quote: But in all seriousness, this trend of companies wanting marketing data at all costs is shutting out seniors or others not comfortable with technology….and that seems a step backwards.

We are seeing this in our area in all types of businesses including fast food, take out, and even grocery stores. This got to be such an issue with shopping at Fred Meyers that I quit going there as well as a lot of seniors. Frustrating to see an ad flyer for a sale item and then when you get to the store prices vary depending on "your status." My .02

[LA Pork Butt]

The Albersons app works reasonably well at home, but when you get to the store the store takes over the app and changes how it functions. I pretty much quit going.

[Sid P]

I think it’s more about efficiency than marketing. When I order on the Mac’s app my order is always correct, no one has to take my order (our area McDonald’s are always hiring because teens apparently don’t want to work, and language barriers are not uncommon), and the line moves more quickly because all I have to do at the microphone is give them my order code and they charge my credit card. The restaurant and I are both saving time, and they’re willing to throw me a bone because time is money for them. I haven’t noticed that my prices are lower, but that’s fine with me.

Edit: App users earn rewards points that approximate a 10% rebate, and there are always specials on the app.

[Michael_in_TX]

That is true….honestly, I do prefer the kiosk experience. I can make changes and there are multiple levels of confirmation my order will at least be inputted to the cooks correctly.

[Steve R.]

I tend to think the idea is efficiency and a way to make customers more loyal to a particular chain. If there are two gas stations side by side and one is the one where I earn rewards/discount by using their app, I know which one I'm going to.

[TripleB]

You can order food off your phone?? When did this happen??

[realdocBBQ]

I decline the apps. Just not interested.

I've essentially stopped going to McD's, once in a rare blue moon, but when I pull up to their drive-thru, and the person on the other end of the speaker says to me, "Welcome to McDonald's, will you be ordering from your app today?".... ummm.... f no? Why would I pull up to the sign for you to TAKE my order if I'm going to use the stinking APP??? Are you r-tarded or something?


The first time I was confused, the next 2 or 3 times (this took about a year for me to go to McD's that many times, prolly) I realized this was them reading the script from Corporate, which is trying to push app sales. Again, f no.

The more things your company does that annoy me, the less likely I will be to utilize your services. And this has now spread to many, if not most, fast food places. Same thing with having to order at a kiosk and literally not having a person there to take my order - to talk to, to smile at me, to interact with. Screw that.

I got an email from Capital One the other day... "Hey, Danny, congrats, here's $45 for you to spend, on us!" Really? What? I was skeptical, of course... I hovered over the links in the email to see where they directed me to, I looked at the email header to make sure it was from a legit source. I wasn't entirely sure, so I thought, hell, why not log into my account and see?

Sure enough, I logged into my Capital One account and saw the header which was a big bold banner about my free $45 to spend. Wow, nice. Ok. Cool... so I clicked on it, went to the next page and started reading the terms - you know, the fine print, etc.

Turns out, I've got to install their shopping app extension on my web browser, turn off any ad blocking software and let it follow me around the internet logging every single action I take, every single thing I click on and send that information back to their evil lair where they're building the ultimate robot to take over the world. If uninstalled or 'blocked' or in any way inhibited within the first week, no $45.

Again... f that.

Goes to show you, though, how much they make off of your information - if they can afford to give away $45 to everyone who installs that stupid little browser extension (and lots of them probably forget about it and never remove it), then they're making a killing off it.

But holy crap. We used to be worried about AI/Google/Alexa or Siri listening in on us - now we've got people who are willingly adding trackers and geofencing to their little personal electronic collar and just think it's all wonderful and peachy.

No thanks.

[Michael_in_TX]

I hear you on the CapitalOne thing. It is just so annoying…and they shove it in your face every time you want to do any transaction.

[texastweeter]

PREACH

[Steve R.]

McDonald's asks about the app because maybe you already placed your order ahead of time that way, in which case you just tell them the code generated by the app and you're done. McDonald's is one app that is arguably worth it if you eat fast food, which I usually don't.

[lemayp]

I noticed that a few years ago. They were advertising app only deals on tv. I’d go through the drive through and be asked to $3 more than the advertised price. Just didn’t order and have never been back. They want my data, I want fifty cents of every dollar they make of it. Grocery store have multiple levels of discounts, some that you see on the tag and others that members of thier web site get, and even more for those paying for the membership. It won’t end any time soon, everyone freely gives data away to get that lower price.

[jayjordan]

This past week I was signing up on an app (don’t remember which one) and it required my email and password with the notice that I was agreeing to let the company read my emails. FU was my response.

[Panhead John]

I’m confused. 🧐 What does FU mean? 🤷♂️

[Steve R.]

Panhead John, I believe that's Fordham University. 🤓

[Panhead John]

😂😂 Oh, now it makes sense.

[Oak Smoke]

We get happy hour prices all day on drinks at Sonic. It’s the only app we use for fast food. McDonald’s wants to know if I’m using theirs every time I drive up. At what they are getting for a double quarter pounder I’m not using theirs ever.

[texastweeter]

I just pay the difference and move on. Life's too short to worry about paying 79cents more on the once a month burger i might order. If im trying to save money, or have higher quality I cook myself. The rest is convince, and ill pay for it.

[captainlee]

Luckily we don't have any fast food places anywhere near us. When we are in Colorado Springs shopping we go to a great Italian deli for subs or sandwiches, cheaper than fast food and 100 times better. Longer road trips we pack a lunch and eat it in the vehicle or stop at a town park. Don't need to deal with the nonsense.

[Richard Chrz]

Im with you, i’d rather pack something for myself.

[Richard Chrz]

Im the rare don't have a cell phone club, but if i did, no way would allow these apps on my phone, i’d pay the extra.

[texastweeter]

GOOD FOR YOU SIR!!!

[barelfly]

I have a few apps for some shops. I think it’s faster than going through the drive thru or standing in line. Especially StarBucks when I’m traveling and want coffee at the airports if there isn’t a local shop to go to. But Chik-fil-a is another shop that it’s actually easier and fast to use the app to order.

That said, Starbucks is probably the app I use the most, which still isn’t a lot, but I see these as time savers more than anything.

[surfdog]

Starbucks is the only fast food/grocery type app that I have on my phone/tablets. Not because a go there a lot. I’ve been once this year, and maybe once or twice last year… But I do seem to end up with a bunch of gift cards over the year. And it’s an easy way to keep tabs on all of them instead of having a bunch of cards just randomly bouncing around.

A couple years prior I used to go fairly often because it was convenient…that’s probably when it all started for me.

[barelfly]

surfdog - yep. Convenience. And if there’s another coffee shop at the airport I’ll pick that because Starbucks just doesn’t taste good to me. I’m spoiled with the coffee beans I buy and my espresso machine these days

[Jerod Broussard]

I used the kiosk at Whataburger. They forgot the extra sauce I ordered, I should have checked the bag before I left but I can live with the 79 cent oversight.

The Lemonade was very good.

[Purc]

I will not use apps to order food. I will not go thru a drive thru. I will not go to Starbucks.

Now get off my lawn!


BTW, I will drink Starbucks Sumatra Whole Bean coffee at home.

[Donw]

Ditto except for that part about drinking Starbucks at home. I’m a antistarbuckian to the core.

[klflowers]

That's get the hell off my lawn

[Purc]

Maybe I should say, " get the Hale off my lawn!"... pun intended