The Future of Drive-Thrus: Chatbots Are Just the Start
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How it started
In 2021, McDonald’s took a bold step by introducing an AI chatbot at the drive-thru, making it one of the first major fast-food chains to do so. The initiative began with a pilot program at 10 locations in Chicago. This technology was developed after McDonald’s acquired Apprente, a startup specializing in voice-based conversational tech in 2019, and later collaborated with IBM to enhance automated ordering capabilities.
This marked just the beginning of the AI drive-thru revolution. In 2022, Checkers and Rally’s partnered with Presto to implement chatbots across all their corporate-owned drive-thrus in the U.S., aiming to boost sales and improve order accuracy. The technology was also touted as a way to allow staff to focus on more customer-centric tasks.
Wendy’s and Taco Bell soon followed suit. In 2023, Wendy’s rolled out its “FreshAI” chatbot at a drive-thru in Columbus, Ohio, developed in collaboration with Google. This AI was trained to understand the franchise’s specific terminology, recognizing that a “milkshake” is a “Frosty” and a “JBC” is a “junior bacon cheeseburger.” After a successful launch, Wendy’s reported that the AI handled orders correctly without human intervention 86% of the time.
Taco Bell was also testing its Voice AI drive-thru around the same period and announced plans to expand this technology to hundreds of locations by the end of 2024. Like other chains, Taco Bell framed this as a way to lighten the workload for employees and reduce drive-thru wait times. Other restaurants, including Panera Bread, White Castle, Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Panda Express, and Popeyes, began experimenting with similar technology.
How it’s going
By now, you may have encountered an AI chatbot at your local fast-food spot. I had an interaction at Checkers, where a human quickly took over after I was informed that one of the sandwiches I wanted was out of stock. Despite the ongoing expansion of AI drive-thrus, customer reception has been lukewarm.
A January 2025 survey by YouGov revealed that 55% of Americans prefer a human to take their order at the drive-thru, while only 4% would choose an AI chatbot. This mixed feedback seems to be affecting some franchises; for instance, McDonald’s ended its partnership with IBM in 2024. A year later, Taco Bell’s chief digital officer mentioned that the company is reassessing its AI drive-thru strategy after customers voiced their frustrations online, even going so far as to order 18,000 water cups as a prank. Some customers have resorted to making bizarre orders or speaking in different languages just to bypass the AI and speak to a human.
Customer dissatisfaction isn’t the only hurdle for AI drive-thrus; their reliability is also in question. Last year, the SEC charged Presto, the company behind the AI systems at Checkers, Rally’s, Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, and Dairy Queen, for misleading customers about its technology’s capabilities. An SEC filing in 2023 revealed that human workers in the Philippines were handling most orders processed by Presto’s AI.
What happens next
Fast-food chains are looking to leverage AI beyond just the drive-thru. Reports indicate that McDonald’s is giving AI-powered drive-thrus another shot while also exploring other applications, such as a system that predicts when equipment (like the notoriously malfunctioning ice cream machine) is likely to fail. The company is also utilizing AI-powered scales to compare the target weight of an order with its actual weight, alerting employees if something is missing, which could help ensure your to-go bag includes those fries.
Burger King is conducting a limited test of AI drive-thrus and announced in February that it’s piloting an AI assistant named “Patty” that resides in employees’ headsets. Workers can consult Patty for help with food preparation, like how many bacon strips to add to a Texas Double Whopper. Meanwhile, Patty also evaluates employee friendliness by tracking their use of polite phrases. Additionally, Burger King employs AI to notify managers about machine maintenance needs or stock shortages, automatically removing affected items from the digital menu board.
Taco Bell is also experimenting with an AI-driven menu board. Instead of merely removing items, this technology will dynamically adjust the layout, content, and visuals based on the specific car at the drive-thru, as explained by Ranjith Roy, the CFO of Taco Bell’s parent company.
Other AI applications are gaining traction as well. Both Culver’s and Zaxby’s are collaborating with Berry AI to implement camera timers at the drive-thru, capturing data on traffic flow and service execution. Berry AI claims its technology can reduce drive-thru service times by 20 to 40%. It seems that more fast-food chains may soon adopt AI solutions that are less intrusive than chatbots, whether through subtle menu adjustments or scales that weigh your food bag before it’s handed to you—at least until these companies refine their chatbot technology.
By the way
* It’s not just fast-food chains exploring AI. Applebee’s and IHOP are looking into personalization systems that could suggest or upsell menu items.
* A survey from the National Restaurant Association found that 26% of restaurant operators are now using AI, primarily for marketing and administrative tasks.
* AI-powered shopping carts are also emerging, with grocery stores like Whole Foods, Wegmans, ShopRite, Kroger, and Sprouts testing the technology in select locations.
