"McDonald's of the future," featuring all-you-can-eat fries, kiosks for ordering opens in July



ST. JOSEPH, Missouri -- McDonald's is planning a "McDonald's of the future," and the very first of its kind will open in St. Joseph, Missouri this summer. The features include all-you-can-eat French fires, ordering kiosks and more.

Along with new decor to create a more casual dining experience, the new 6,500-square foot restaurant in St. Joseph, Missouri will offer a kiosk where customers will place their order, which McDonald's officials say should allow for faster service and customizable orders.

This, in light of the recent, highly-publicized protests by minimum wage fast food workers demanding higher pay.

The new kiosk system would replace the need for as many cashiers, but the St. Joseph store's owner, Chris Habider said he plans to hire 85 new employees for the new store.

The new restaurant will offer “hundreds of different choices to build the burger of your dreams,” Habiger told the St. Joseph News-Press . “Once you’ve placed your order, you can find your seat because we’ll bring it out to you.”

Another new feature: all-you-can-eat French fries.

With that offer, the company is taking note of the fact that McDonald’s customers at large simply aren’t looking for healthier options.

An article in Vanity Fair suggests “McDonald’s has tried to compensate by adding healthier choices to its menus, but customers don’t seem to be biting."

The Wall Street Journal reported that McDonald's is removing wraps from its menus because "no self-respecting millennial was going to McDonald’s to buy a wrap,” adding that “maybe going full-throttle with the unbridled unhealthiness in the St. Joseph store is just what McDonald’s needs."

The St. Joseph, Missouri restaurant is set to open in July.