McDonald’s introduced an AI chatbot for drive-thru ordering in 2021, starting with voice ordering at 10 Chicago locations. The system was built after McDonald’s acquired Apprente in 2019 and later worked with IBM to scale automated ordering. Checkers and Rally’s expanded AI drive-thru ordering in 2022 by deploying a chatbot at all corporate-owned US drive-thrus through a partnership with Presto, targeting higher sales and better order accuracy while freeing staff for other tasks. Wendy’s launched its FreshAI chatbot in 2023 in Columbus, Ohio, using Google to train the bot on franchise-specific language and reporting 86% correct orders without employee intervention. Taco Bell also tested Voice AI drive-thru ordering.
"In 2021, McDonald's became one of the first major fast-food chains to greet customers with an AI chatbot at the drive-thru. It started small, deploying the voice-ordering technology at 10 of its locations in Chicago. McDonald's developed its drive-thru tech after acquiring Apprente, a startup focused on voice-based, conversational technology in 2019, and later worked with IBM to scale automated ordering."
"Checkers and Rally's teamed up with the AI company Presto to put a chatbot at all corporate-owned drive-thrus in the US in 2022, with the goal of selling more food and drinks to customers and improving order accuracy. The company also said the tech will "free up staff for more people-dependent areas of their business.""
"Wendy's and Taco Bell followed suit. In 2023, Wendy's launched its "FreshAI" chatbot at one of its drive-thrus in Columbus, Ohio in 2023. The company worked with Google to develop an AI chatbot trained on the franchise's lingo, so it understands that a "milkshake" is a "Frosty" and that a "JBC" is a "junior bacon cheeseburger.""
"Wendy's began expanding the technology months after its launch, saying that it got orders right without employee intervention 86 percent of the time. Taco Bell had been testing its Voice AI drive"
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