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

Technology

88514 readers
3947 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
[–] heartSagan5@lemmy.zip 31 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Stop using their “Rewards app” It’s tracking your purchases, which’ll inform their surveillance and skew the boards.

[–] Bahnd@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Correct, but a few additions.

They already have your credit card on record for repeat purchases (if you pay digitally, they know who you are), thats not the data those apps are after. They are just as bad as tiktoc and reddit when it comes to tracking phone activity and asking for every permission that isnt nailed down. Your phone activity data is worth more to data brokers than a free sandwich every tuesday.

[–] HerbGrower@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 days ago

The average persons data is. I wonder what mine is worth. Surely it just says "yeah they are never going to willingly buy your product, target friends who will apply social pressure instead ... Oh, they are just happy sitting there without ordering anything"

[–] anarchy79@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

All rewards apps. That's their whole purpose.

[–] bountygiver@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 days ago

It USED to have pretty good deals frequently, and then they keep offer less and less of them, so I just don't even order from them anymore

[–] heartSagan5@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 days ago

Here’s how they’re fucking with their items: https://youtu.be/JlpuVHdZyqI?is=Ea_H2b5qleAaq2Vo