this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2026
695 points (98.5% liked)

Technology

88559 readers
4937 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related news or articles.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
L3s@lemmy.world
enu@lemmy.world
technopagan@lemmy.world
L4s@lemmy.world
L3s@hackingne.ws
695
McDonald's is reportedly using AI to "dynamically" price its burgers (www.engadget.com)
submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) by spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works to c/technology@lemmy.world
199 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

McDonald's has been using artificial intelligence to dynamically price menu items in the US and some global markets, according to a report by Reuters. This involves finding the "optimal price" to match what a particular store's patrons would be willing to pay.

This fluctuates according to location, and even stores in the same city can have different cost amounts for the same exact items, according to information reviewed by Reuters. This is basically surge pricing, like with ride-share platforms, but for hockey puck burgers that have been sitting under a hot lamp.

Reuters got a look at the interface that franchisees use to access this technology and it's pretty creepy. Messages show stuff like "your restaurant is showing MEDIUM SENSITIVITY to price" based on "customer willingness to pay in your area." Cost differences at nearby locations can be stark. Researchers found that a Bic Mac at a Fresno, California store cost $5.69, but the same burger cost $6.89 at another branch two miles down the road. That's a 21 percent difference.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Kaligalis@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago

I don't buy McDonal's because the price/value equation is off. Whether it is off because they think I'm rich or because they think I'm addicted doesn't really matter. The result is that I just don't buy.
But if I was a regular customer, I would see unstable prices as a negative because it means, I have to research current prices first before going there. That's inconvenient. I prefer reasonable and stable prices.

Maybe, McDonald's introduces haggling next so customers can feel like they are buying a used car when they buy a burger...