RESTAURANTS, BALLPARKS, STORES ALL GEARING UP TO DIGITIZE THEIR CUSTOMERS

By LEO HOHMANN – Blacklisted

Taco Bell and several other popular fast-food chains say they are angling to become digital-only, totally cashless businesses in the near future.

During an earnings call earlier this month, Fox 8 in Cleveland reported that Taco Bell’s parent company Yum! Brands addressed plans to eventually move to 100 percent digital sales at all of its restaurants.

This includes fast food chains Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and The Habit Burger Grill, which also has units in China. Remember, it was KFC that offered to become the first restaurant to serve fake lab-grown chicken.

In an interview with the CFO Journal Chief Financial Officer Chris Turner said more customers would be forced, if they choose to eat at these garbage restaurants, to order through apps, websites or kiosks. No more walk in and pay cash.

Yum! Brands is already testing the use of artificial intelligence to take drive-through orders, the CFO Journal reported.

So you’ll soon be talking to a fake person to order fake food.

Of course the way they will try to sell you on this system is by promising to speed up the process of getting your order. Ah, convenience.

According to company officials who spoke during the earnings call, “in the U.S., digital sales have increased almost 35 percent year over year with kiosks now deployed in 100 percent of Taco Bell stores.”

The company did not say how long it would take to reach its disturbing goal.

I’ve also been told by sources who are employed at large grocery-store chains that the grocery business is also getting ready to roll out artificial intelligence to “enhance” the customer experience while scooping up tons of data on employees and customers.

I also reported last week on how Major League Baseball is implementing biometric digital IDs. Panera Bread and Whole Foods are already using the Amazon One biometric system where you pay not with cash or credit card but by waving your palm in front of a scanner. Of course the banks and credit unions will be all in with the coming digital currencies and digital IDs.

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Would you still patronize a favorite restaurant, store, bank or other business that refuses to take your cash and wants to digitize your identity?