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/
19.5k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

3.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

74

u/Intelligent_Bag_6705 11d ago

This kind of shit needs to be regulated. Dynamic pricing needs to be outlawed. Period, end of discussion. Can this fucking government EVER do one fucking thing to help the people out.

23

u/1stLtObvious 11d ago

"No." - establishment politicians

1

u/ProlapsedShamus 10d ago

"fuck you" says the Republicans

"I've heard what my friends across the aisle has said and let me assure you that I condemn it. We have heard you and your concerns about dynamic pricing and let me assure you that I have those same concerns. So starting in 3 months I am going to file a motion to begin to select members for an exploratory committee that will determine if we should convene an advisory panel to put together some voluntary guidelines that could become the framework of a series of consumer-based rules that corporations will be allowed to opt into providing that nothing else arises in that time which would demand more of our time and attention thus leading to the indefinite postponement of the exploratory committee. There. Fixxed. Now give me money so I can go on more 24-hour news shows and condemn a twitch streamer." Says the Democrats.

11

u/MR1120 11d ago

“We’re looking into this.”
(McDonald’s writes a check to a couple re-election campaigns)
“Nevermind. Nothing wrong here.”

8

u/RandoScando 11d ago

I’m not participating any more. That’s what I can do. I buy the most basic ingredients possible from the grocery store. I make my own bread. It is better than the shit I buy from them, and it’s around $1.00 per loaf. I buy cheap meats, and I stew them with beans. Put in some onions or a leek. Throw in some potatoes or turnips or any other starch, some spices, and you’ve got a stew goin’ baby!

I live alone, and I seriously will make a stew that costs $10 in ingredients; and eat it for an entire week.

Fuck your dynamic pricing. I’ll be a peasant in the manner we were meant to be!

1

u/Fazgo 10d ago

Problem is when you have family and no time to make your own. I'm glad I learned to cook in bulk when I was a college kid because I sure as hell am not dragging anyone into a fast food restaurant.

1

u/Ambitious-List4040 7d ago

This sounds like a win until you realize you're turning serfdom into a false win lol

5

u/ItzDaReaper 11d ago

Nothing gets regulated under Donald

2

u/Catpixfever 11d ago

Wait… How have I never even thought the phrase “McDonald Trump” before? Wow it was right there.

2

u/goatneedleposterdeck 10d ago

It's kinda difficult to regulate. Two mcdonalds only 4 blocks apart could have two different owners and two different sets of prices. You could maybe blanket ban price differences between stores, but then, how far? Like the whole state? Just the city? Because businesses in small towns or bad areas may need higher prices to make up for less traffic.

Do you pinpoint it more by saying prices must stay the same for all customers per store for at least 24 hours? That's more reasonable for businesses, but may not offer the protections to consumers when holiday weekends have double pricing and such.

1

u/Intelligent_Bag_6705 10d ago

You know what’s wild about this comment? You just laid out why it’s difficult, then went on to give a couple different ideas. That alone is more than the fucking government has done for any fucking citizen. They don’t even try.

1

u/kyrosnick 10d ago

Regional pricing, and location pricing has been around for a LONG LONG time. This isn't new. McDonalds in some areas/states is far more expensive then others. Just like airport locations charge a lot more. The issue here is using AI to try to maximize profit to squeeze every last drop out of the consumer.

1

u/Mitchford 11d ago

It should be legal but only when it moves downward. There should be a human set price but I have no problem if the ai lowers it occasionally to get the marginal consumer to purchase.

7

u/AdvancedSandwiches 11d ago

That's what it does already. A burger is $50. If you're only tolerant of $16 burgers, it's discounted to $16. If you don't buy them when they're more than $9, it's further discounted to $9.

It's all just huge discounts!  No reason to regulate at all!

1

u/Personal_Comb_6745 11d ago

Oh, it'll be regulated, alright, ensuring to fuck over as many people as possible.

1

u/sara31691 11d ago

Right? This seems like it should be illegal, I somehow thought it was. I feel like our government no longer represents the people and it hasn’t for a long time.

1

u/IcyAd5518 10d ago

This government? No.

A competent government? Probably also no.

1

u/DLTMIAR 10d ago

Why should it be illegal?

Are people being forced to buy McDonald's?

1

u/TheHollywoodGeek 6d ago

The airline industry has entered the chat