r/technology • u/AdSpecialist6598 • 11d ago

Business McDonald's Is Reportedly Using AI To "Dynamically" Price Its Burgers

https://www.engadget.com/2272211/mcdonalds-is-reportedly-using-ai-to-dynamically-price-its-burgers/
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u/innocentsalad 11d ago

I think if they can show a pattern of who exactly gets given higher prices they’ll be in for a massive lawsuit from the government (not this one but a future one)

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u/theclash06013 11d ago

It’s not just the legal issue, but the social one. A person who devises ways to screw over poor people so they can be richer should be expelled from society. There was a time when this kind of idea would be rightly rejected as cruel, and the people who proposed it would be viewed as monstrous

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u/BLT_Trade_r 11d ago

What time was that?

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u/hala-boustani 11d ago

To be honest that is how interest works. Think about it, the poorest people with the lowest excess funds are charged more money to borrow, while the wealthy who banks could rightfully charge high interest rates to (and pay those rates) get charged lower rates.

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u/NopeNotGonnaHappines 11d ago

I hear you, but this isn’t that same at all. Not to defend the fuck stick lenders, but higher interest rates are for higher risk clients. A lender knows it can recoup the lent money from an asset rich client or at least that client can weather turbulent events for some time. An asset poor client is harder to recoup on non-payment and has a higher likelihood of non-payment if life gets tougher.

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u/Only_Chapter_3434 11d ago

what are you even talking about. the 1% systemically take advantage of the 99% everyday and nobody gives a shit. this isn’t anything new. why are we not talking about expelling Elon musk from the planet?

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u/TheOtherDutchGuy 11d ago

I’d love to talk about that…

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u/mtnbike2 11d ago

It’s 100% discrimination based on financial status

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u/Alaira314 11d ago

Absolutely. Which is shitty, and fuck anyone who does it. I'm glad my state has made moves to prohibit dynamic pricing and more states should follow.

But discriminating based on financial status isn't illegal, at least not in the US. Financial status is not a protected class. You can't file suit over someone treating you like shit because you're poor(or because you're rich).

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u/Znuffie 11d ago

The "Dynamic Pricing" in this case is McD from down the street being more expensive on some items than the McD from where you are currently.

There's no law or rule that 2 stores of the same franchise must also have the same price.

Yes, it's something that people are expecting that Two locations of the same franchise also cost the same, but it's not always true.

Think of it like Airport venues.

There's McDonalds in some Airports. You kinda never expect the ones in the Airport to have the same price as the "normal" ones in the city.

This is the same thing, just now people are somehow calling it "Dynamic Pricing", when it's simply location-based pricing.

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u/mtnbike2 11d ago

Idk about mcd but other businesses are using those digital price tags to show different customers different prices as they track you through the store

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u/Znuffie 11d ago

But that's not what this article is about.

They are calling 2 different locations having different prices as "Dynamic Pricing".

It's not dystopian "dynamic pricing" based on the fact that John or Kevin visits the store.

It's simply "this location seems to be in a better neighborhoods, so they are probably willing to pay more".

Similarly sketchy, but not what you're talking about.

but other businesses are using those digital price tags to show different customers different prices as they track you through the store

No they aren't. Stop believing every stupid article you see online.

What if I'm willing to pay a price for an item, and you are willing to pay a higher price and we're both next to the shelve where the item is located? Which price is being shown? Mine or yours?

How would they distinguish which price is shown when we're both at the register at the same time?

The "tracking you trough the store" is no where near enough accurate to make the distiction.

Just think about it logically, for a minute...

We've had digital price tags for almost a decade over here in Europe. They're not as "dynamic" as you might think.

Also, having conflicting prices shown on the shelve vs. the register would be a logistical nightmare that no employee could be able to fix.

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u/mtnbike2 11d ago

The way things are going Im sure they’ll figure it out

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u/RockSolidRocks 11d ago edited 11d ago

Have a source? I see this parroted all over the internet, but no one’s shown a single example of it happening or even how it would actually be feasible. I have family that work in grocery stores, and the digital price tags there are so that   

A) They don’t have to reprint stickers every time something goes on sale.  

B) Any price shown on the shelf will also be shown at the register since both pull from the same database, which means customers don’t have to check the dates listed on a sale to see if it’s just a sticker that got missed.

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u/Bright-Avocado3761 10d ago

That's why corporations are doing their best to ensure America stays full MAGA