The "Automated Fast Food Kiosks" (Episode: "The Fool Monty", 2010)

The Simpsons has earned quite the reputation for seemingly predicting the future. It’s actually a bit of a meme at this point, with fans pointing out how many things in the real world appear to have been "predicted" by the show, sometimes years in advance. While some of these predictions are purely coincidental or the result of broad satire, others do seem oddly prescient.

The "Automated Fast Food Kiosks" (Episode: "The Fool Monty", 2010)

• What happened: In this episode, Homer orders food from an automated kiosk in a fast food restaurant, a humorous take on the future of ordering food.
• Reality: In the 2010s and beyond, fast food chains like McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Wendy's began installing self-service kiosks, allowing customers to order and pay for their meals without interacting with a cashier. These kiosks are part of the larger trend of automation in the foodservice industry.