TL;DR
A reader spotted a Wendy's drive-thru kiosk showing an on-screen instruction to restart Firefox manually, preventing orders from being taken. The kiosk appeared to be running a locked-down browser mode and showed signs of improvised physical repairs.
What happened
At a Wendy's drive-thru, a customer-submitted photo captured a browser-based ordering kiosk that had stopped functioning and displayed a message asking for Firefox to be restarted manually. The unit appears to run a Firefox build in a kiosk-style configuration intended to restrict user access, but some reset or configuration clearing left the device unable to proceed with transactions. The kiosk enclosure had visible makeshift fixes — zip ties and sticky tape — suggesting ad hoc physical maintenance. The article notes the presence of an ambiguous reference to "mKiosk" on the screen, but does not define it. The reporter speculates an engineer will eventually perform a remote reset, but the on-site prompt left customers unable to place orders at that terminal while the issue persisted.
Why it matters
- Public-facing kiosks depend on stable software; failures directly interrupt customer service and sales.
- Kiosk mode limits user actions, which can complicate troubleshooting when a device needs manual intervention.
- Visible temporary hardware repairs highlight potential gaps in maintenance practices for deployed units.
- Remote management systems are important for restoring service quickly, and their absence or failure can extend outages.
Key facts
- Source: report and reader photo published by The Register on 2026-01-01.
- The affected terminal was a drive-thru kiosk at a Wendy's location.
- The kiosk displayed an instruction to restart Firefox manually and would not accept orders.
- The interface appears to be running Firefox in a restricted or kiosk-style configuration.
- The screen referenced "mKiosk"; the meaning or specific software implementation was not clarified.
- The kiosk enclosure showed makeshift physical fixes such as zip ties and sticky tape.
- The piece suggests a remote reset by technical staff is likely but does not confirm one was executed.
What to watch next
- Whether Wendy's issues a public statement about the incident (not confirmed in the source).
- If a remote reset or other fix is applied and the kiosk returns to service (not confirmed in the source).
- Reports of similar failures at other locations or on other kiosk platforms (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Kiosk mode: A browser or application setting that locks the device to a single app or interface and restricts user access to system features.
- Firefox: An open-source web browser developed by Mozilla, which can be configured for use in kiosk environments.
- Drive-thru kiosk: A customer-facing touchscreen terminal used at drive-thru lanes for placing orders and processing transactions.
- Remote reset: A process where technical staff restart or reconfigure a device over a network rather than performing hands-on maintenance.
- mKiosk: A term shown on the kiosk's screen in the report; the source does not define what software or system it refers to.
Reader FAQ
Can customers still place orders at this kiosk?
According to the reader report, the terminal would not take orders while the on-screen restart prompt was displayed.
Was Wendy's or a vendor quoted about the failure?
Not confirmed in the source.
What does the screen's "restart Firefox manually" instruction require?
Not confirmed in the source; the report notes it would be unclear how a customer could perform that action at the kiosk.
Does "mKiosk" indicate a known commercial product?
Not confirmed in the source; the article mentions the term but does not provide a definition or vendor attribution.
OFFBEAT 1 Welcome to Wendy's! Before your order can be taken, you must first reset this kiosk Do you want bork with that? Richard Speed Thu 1 Jan 2026 // 11:01 UTC BORK!BORK!BORK! Today's…
Sources
- Welcome to Wendy's! Before your order can be taken, you must first reset this kiosk
- Firefox for Enterprise Kiosk mode – Mozilla Support
- Taco Bell To Bring Voice AI Ordering To Hundreds Of US …
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HarshalSanap/Twi…
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