Observation | P. Comp.

As I was walking, the wind blew me to the nearest McDonald’s, so I thought to hell with my diet let me eat and walk that cheeseburger off later. The first thing that caught my eye was the self-ordering kiosk.

It felt like ordering on a gigantic phone in public. Some people were used to ordering using the kiosk, others preferred human interaction. Few people, including myself, were obviously trying the kiosk for the first time. Meaning, we had to read everything that popped up, while others can press the buttons when they aren’t even looking at the screen.

I think it takes longer to order multiple customized meals on the machines than talking to an actual employee. However, no one is under the pressure of thoroughly read the menu when using the machine. From what I’ve seen, most people were done ordering in a couple of minutes. Some took longer due to some issues they had with their debit cards, but you can always ask for help from the staff.

Although the interface is user friendly, I feel like they could’ve incorporated the brand’s identity. If Norman were to review the self-ordering kiosk, (in McDonald’s since I haven’t been in any other fast food chain, yet) I feel like he’d check the two main characteristics of a good design:

✅ Discoverability.

✅ Understanding.