An AI-powered bot could take your next drive-thru order at one of these top fast-food restaurants
- AI-powered voice bots are gaining steam among fast-food chains.
- White Castle is rolling out SoundHound's bots to 100 drive-thru lanes by the end of 2024.
- Here are 8 fast-food chains adding drive-thru voice bots amid labor challenges.
White Castle is the latest fast-food chain replacing humans with voice bots in its drive-thru lanes.
White Castle said this week it was rolling out SoundHound's AI-powered voice bots to 100 drive-thru lanes by the end of 2024. The fast-food burger chain, which has been experimenting with AI-powered drive-thru tech since 2020, joins seven other national chains using conversational bots to process drive-thru orders.
Automation tools, from AI to robotics, are growing in popularity as the restaurant industry continues to be challenged by labor shortages and turnover. About 58% of restaurant operators say using tech and automation to alleviate labor shortages will become more common this year, according to the 2023 State of the Restaurant Industry Report by the National Restaurant Association.
Here are the eight chains adding automated voice tech in drive-thru stores.
1. White Castle
White Castle is rolling out SoundHound's AI-powered voice bots to 100 drive-thru lanes by the end of 2024. The expansion comes after the two partnered on a live pilot in Chicago in January 2022.
SoundHound said its tech is completely automated and doesn't require human interaction, unlike other AI-powered voice systems.
The average order, once taken and processed, takes just over 60 seconds, SoundHound says.
2. McDonald's
McDonald's has been testing AI-powered ordering in its drive-thru lanes since 2019. Some restaurants also use voice bots to take orders, but some TikTokers have recently roasted the chain after failed run-ins with bots.
Source: Insider
3. Checkers & Rally's
In 2022, Checkers & Rally's became one of the first big chains to implement widespread use of AI-powered voice assistants. Out of the 803 Checkers and Rally's restaurants, voice AI is live in 390 of them as of August 2023.
4. Del Taco
After a successful pilot, Del Taco said in January that it would expand the use of conversational AI voice assistants by restaurant tech firm Presto. During testing, Presto said the bots "greeted guests, reliably accepted their orders, and consistently offered upsell suggestions." Over 95% of orders were completed with no staff intervention.
Source: Presto
5. Taco Bell
Taco Bell is also testing conversational AI at the drive-thru "to help us potentially automate ordering," according to Chris Turner, the chief financial officer at Yum Brands, Taco Bell's parent company. Before scaling, the chain will continue to test it to "ensure that it creates a great customer experience." He didn't disclose the test location.
6. Panera Bread
Last year, fast-casual chain Panera Bread began testing AI-powered drive-thru tech at two upstate New York restaurants. An automated bot named "Tori" created by the startup OpenCity takes orders from drive-thru customers.
Source: Insider
7. Popeyes
Last year, a Popeyes restaurant in Louisiana began testing drive-thru voice bots. The franchisee said drink sales have increased because the bot automatically upsells high-margin items such as soda fountain drinks, sides, and desserts.
Source: Insider
8. Carl's Jr. and Hardee's
In May, Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, announced plans to roll out Presto's voice ordering tech at select drive-thru locations nationwide. Presto said in a press release that its voice automation technology increases revenue, improves labor productivity, and enhances the customer and staff experience.
Source: Presto
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