Y2K Is Late, But It Wasn’t Wrong
Melbourne’s new staff-free 7-Eleven on Collins Street has arrived, and it looks like the robots have finally started their takeover. It only took them 25 extra years to follow through on those Y2K warnings. The shop has no staff at all, just a row of vending machines that feel one software update away from announcing Judgment Day.
Goodbye Humans, Hello Tap-and-Go
7-Eleven says the store is designed for busy CBD workers who want fast service without any small talk. Fair enough. After the pandemic, many of us forgot how to greet another human anyway. And while Victoria leads the country in retail crime, the company insists the idea wasn’t only about stopping people from running off with a choccy milk. It was simply the right moment to try something new.
Aussies Have Thoughts… Big Ones
Social media users are already predicting that the machines will be trashed within a week. But the real outrage? No Slurpees. Many argue a 7-Eleven without a brain-freeze machine is basically just a sad robot pantry.
The Robot Snack Era Begins
For now, it’s just a trial. If Melbourne likes it, more robot-run stores may appear. So yes, Y2K was late, but the machines are finally rising… one packet of chips at a time.
