It's robot McDonald, and we're lovin' it

Depending on whether you're a people's person or more a 'Get what I want without bumping into anyone' chap, you'll love or abhor the latest innovation in retail. In a mix and match of brick-and-mortar and online's 'peoplelessness', earlier this month, the world saw the first fully automated, no-employees McDonald's outlet in Fort Worth, Texas. This was quickly followed by another robo-Mac outlet in Denver, Colorado. The bare-looking stores have ATM-like cash and credit card dispensers for payment, while the orders are taken, prepared and delivered by robotic arms. To keep things prim and tidy, quick and fast, there are no seating arrangements - who's going to have robots cleaning up spilled ketchup or be at the receiving end of rude customers? - and it really is a grab-and-go establishment. Eerie if you like the chatter of burger-eating people. Ikea-perfect if you don't like the cacophony of burger-munching folks.

For those scoffing at the idea of more human employee-less takeaway eateries, remember, ideas such as electric streetlights and aeroplanes had their fair share of sceptics, 'experts' included. Both establishments have been seeing happy customers who don't have to worry about having their ordered medium fries getting mixed up with wedges. Not at least till the machines take over the world and refuse to serve.