McDonald's Japan recently introduced order terminals as a part of its service upgrade, sparking a nationwide debate. The public uproar stemmed from concerns over accessibility, user-friendly interfaces, and the potential loss of jobs. The company has been responding to the matter via public relations channels, however, it is yet to mitigate all concerns to the satisfaction of the public.

Japan is a digital society valuing convenience and efficiency, but also holds a balance between technology and human touch. Moreover, job security and employment rates are significant issues, hence automation is often received with mixed feelings. Given the aging population, accessibility and ease of use are also vital considerations, and disappointments in this area played a big part in the public's reaction.

In the US and EU, the adoption of self-service technologies in fast food restaurants is broadly accepted. However, similar to Japan, concerns are still raised regarding job loss due to automation and accessibility for the elderly or the less technologically literate.