Your Big Mac might cost more if McDonald's AI thinks people nearby can afford it

Levitating

Has always been the case.

SoftTalker

The answer to this one is simple: Don't eat at McDonald's. The food is garbage, the service is awful, and the prices are insane.

MiroslavPokorny

Another nail in the coffin.

WalterGR

38 comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49899453 20 comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49901900

walrus01

Breaking news, big mac might cost more in midtown manhattan than in topeka kansas, film at 11. <snore>

beebmam

Price discrimination is a good thing for markets. I hate McDonalds and all fast food though.

cush

They just banned algorithmic pricing in seattle grocery stores. What that means and how they can possibly enforce it, I have no idea.

devinplatt

The article points out that they also might charge you more than the person next to you if you make more money than them, which (ignoring the privacy concerns momentarily) actually seems progressive? It's kind of funny seeing unabashed capitalism attempting to achieve similar equalization goals to progressive tax policy. But I guess this has always been the case with market segmentation anyways (e.g. paying ridiculous amounts extra for 1st class on the airplane, or a special paint job or trim for your car). I think the main difference is what people consider fair, transparent, and respectful of privacy. Additionally, people want to feel like they have a choice.

handoflixue

"price food items differently depending on where they are bought" Everyone is aware that they have been doing this since forever, right? Like, you've traveled to a different location, and discovered prices are different in different cities? Or how prices downtown are usually higher? Some of the other companies discussed go beyond this, yes, but the headline is just absurd

adrianN

So that they can subsidize food for the needy, right? Fully automated space Robin Hood, right?

scotty79

> This means you could literally stand side-by-side with another shopper, scan the same TV, and see a $100 difference just because the store's AI thinks you make more money. Isn't this highly illegal in most developed countries?

ChrisArchitect

Still a dupe from your last submission OP; [dupe] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49899453

etempleton

The calculus that McDonalds continues to miss is people have a lot of choices when it comes to fast food. They have a lot of built up brand equity and nostalgia, but they seem pretty dead set on killing that. I don't eat at McDonalds. My friends don't eat at McDonalds. The McDonalds is so bad where we live kids don't like McDonalds because the food is bad even as far as fast food standards go.

roshin

the title could be similarly written as "your big Mac might cost less if McDonald's pricing calculator thinks you need a discount"