Taco Bell Expands Drive-Thru AI

Taco Bell Customers May Encounter AI Voice Technology at Drive-Thrus

Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, announced [https://www.tacobell.com/newsroom/yum-brands-to-expand-voice-ai-technology] plans to expand AI voice technology to take orders at hundreds more drive-thrus in the U.S. by the end of the year.

“Tapping into AI gives us the ability to ease team members’ workloads, freeing them to focus on front-of-house hospitality," said Dane Mathews, Taco Bell chief digital and technology officer. "It also enables us to unlock new and meaningful ways to engage with our customers.”

The AI model has been trained to understand various accents and pronunciations, ensuring order accuracy. [https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/tech/taco-bell-expanding-ai-ordering-drive-thrus/index.html] It is designed to improve over time, with a focus on enhancing the customer experience. [https://www.tacobell.com/newsroom/yum-brands-to-expand-voice-ai-technology]

Other fast-food chains like KFC, Wendy's, Carl's Jr., and Hardee's are also experimenting with AI voice technology. [https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/tech/taco-bell-expanding-ai-ordering-drive-thrus/index.html] However, McDonald's recently encountered struggles with AI ordering, with customers sharing mishap videos on social media. [https://www.tiktok.com/@resinsbiren/video/7198528478533258542, https://www.tiktok.com/@typical_redhead_/video/7192248491853303086] McDonald's has since announced plans to stop using AI for drive-thru orders by July-end but aims to implement voice order tech later. [https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/mcdonalds-stops-artificial-intelligence-voice-order-technology]

AI and Jobs

Yum! Brands and Taco Bell assert that AI technology will not replace human jobs but instead "ease task loads" for employees. [https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/tech/taco-bell-expanding-ai-ordering-drive-thrus/index.html] However, this move towards automation raises questions about the potential impact on the fast-food industry's workforce.

Only time will tell if AI voice technology improves efficiency and customer satisfaction or encounters further hurdles in the highly competitive fast-food landscape.