Lecture Notes on McDonald's Self-Order Terminals and User Interface Design

Introduction

• Personal experience at McDonald's with self-order terminals (SOTs) and impulsive buying behavior.
• Discussion on how SOTs influence purchasing decisions and increase average order size.

McDonald's Overview

• Most valuable fast food chain in the world.
• Stock price has quadrupled over the past 10 years.
• Over 40,000 restaurants worldwide.
• SOTs are a key factor in the success of McDonald's concept.
• Tested first in Europe in 2008; now found in almost all locations.

Impact of Self-Order Terminals

• Increased profits in Germany by about 15% due to SOTs.
• Former CEO Steve Easterbrook confirmed the positive impact on profits.
• SOTs lead customers to spend more due to longer ordering times.

Design Influences on Consumer Choices

• User interfaces designed to influence behavior.
• Example: choosing products based on visual presentation and placement.

Example from McDonald's

• Desired order: Double Cheeseburger.
• Presented with visually appealing, more expensive menu items.
• Higher-priced items create a reference value that influences choices.
• Menus designed to highlight expensive options while cheaper options are less noticeable.

Nudging and Dark Patterns

• Nudging: subtle design choices that influence behavior.
  • Example: larger icons for expensive items versus smaller icons for cheaper items.
  • Product placement: expensive items at eye level, cheaper ones lower down.
• Dark Patterns: design tricks that lead customers to make choices that aren't in their best interest.
  • Example: hidden total price of the order in a small corner of the screen.

Upselling Techniques

• Interface designed to upsell by presenting options appealingly.
• Encouragement to bundle items (e.g., drinks and sides) increases profitability.

Emotional and Psychological Triggers

• Colorful animations reward purchases, making customers feel good about spending.
• Interface encourages card payments, fostering impulse purchases.
• Most customers are likely to make larger purchases due to the ease of use.

Customer Behavior

• Average order size higher at SOTs compared to the counter.
• Customers often don’t realize how much they’re spending until it’s too late.
• Comparison pressure created through design leads to larger orders than intended.

Data Collection and Optimization

• McDonald's could collect data from SOTs for testing and optimizing UI elements.
• Potential to tailor recommendations based on customer interactions.

Conclusions

• SOTs enhance customer experience by saving time and reducing social pressures.
• However, they are designed to maximize poor choices and overspending.
• Design techniques are effective, despite customers believing they are not influenced.
• Understanding these influences can help consumers make more mindful choices.