Technology is coming to a fast food joint near you very soon. Burger giant McDonald’s is installing 7,000 touch screen computers to handle cashier duties in Europe. The move to the touch screen computers are to increase efficiency of the restaurant and improve the ordering process, according to the company. However, many are concerned many jobs will be lost in the process.

Europe is the testing ground for adding this new technology to McDonald’s, but everyone knows if it is a success, then they will eventually make their way to the United States. With talks of minimum wage or fast food workers getting a pay raise to $15/hr, it just makes sense that corporate, for profit entities would seek alternatives to lowering their cost.

Bill Gates warned people are not realizing how soon ‘Bots’, automated software, will begin to replace human jobs in a wide variety of industries. The ominous warning seems to be floating over the heads of many, but this reality is coming to bare in the restaurant industry sooner than later.

However, this is nothing new. McDonald’s introduced the the touch-screen kiosk in 2009 in France.

McDonald’s new touch screen computing cashiers will only accept debit and credit cards. Moving away from cash and coins makes the reality of using the computers easier for people while slowing transitioning us to an electronic currency only society.