License Plate Readers at McDonalds?
The short version: A Business Reform interview clip reveals McDonald's tested drive-thru license plate readers before pivoting to facial recognition, showing how quietly plate and face surveillance creep into everyday errands.
Our Take
Credit to Business Reform and host for digging this out of an interview with Roubin Thind: McDonald's reportedly piloted automated license plate readers in some drive-thrus, then shelved broader rollout in favor of facial recognition instead. Either way, the message is the same — your car and your face are becoming data points the moment you order a cheeseburger.
This is exactly the kind of mission creep we track. ALPR systems built for 'public safety' or 'loss prevention' don't stay in that lane. Once the cameras and the vendor contracts exist, the use cases multiply — marketing profiles, loyalty tracking, law enforcement data-sharing, you name it. A fast food chain testing plate readers isn't an isolated curiosity, it's a preview of how surveillance infrastructure normalizes itself in spaces we never thought to question, like a drive-thru lane.
Flock Safety and similar ALPR networks already blanket neighborhoods, HOAs, and now, apparently, commercial strips. Check our map to see what's already watching your own route to work or school, and visit take action if you want to push back on where these cameras show up next.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Business Reform, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.