Do You Really Wanna Know?

Do you really wanna know why most fast food employees will be replaced by robotics within the next five years?

This afternoon I went though the drive-thru at McDonald's because I was in a hurry and all I wanted was an unsweetened ice tea. The associate handed me my tea and I pulled ahead and stopped to put the straw in the cup.  The lid on the cup was bulging because it was packed full with ice and I couldn't even begin to put the straw through the slot in the lid.  Even though I was in a hurry I parked my car and took the cup of ice inside to the counter.  I handed the cup of ice and straw to the associate and asked if she would put the straw in the cup for me.  She looked at me as if I was some kind of nut job but took the cup anyway.  When she noticed the bulging lid and cup packed full of ice she just grinned.  Then, instead of dumping half the ice out and giving me the appropriate amount of tea and ice, she threw everything away and gave me a new cup of tea.  

I guarantee a robot would have put the correct amount of ice in my cup.  I would not have been an aggravated customer and McDonald's would not have wasted a cup, some ice, and some tea.