Taco Bell plans to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) technology at drive-thrus across the U.S., as announced by its parent company, Yum! Brands, on Wednesday.
Currently, Yum! Brands operates voice AI technology in over 100 Taco Bell drive-thrus in 13 states. The company aims to expand this technology to hundreds more locations by the end of the year. The rollout is intended to improve operations for employees and enhance the ordering experience for customers.
The company highlights several potential benefits of the AI technology. These include making workdays easier for employees, improving order accuracy, providing a consistent and friendly experience, reducing wait times, and boosting profit growth.
“Innovation is part of Taco Bell’s core, and we see Voice AI as a way to enhance experiences for both our team members and customers,” said Dane Mathews, Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Taco Bell. “AI allows us to ease the workload for our team members, letting them focus more on hospitality. It also opens up new ways for us to engage with our customers.”
Other fast-food chains, such as White Castle and Carl’s Jr., have also used AI technology, claiming it reduces wait times and improves order efficiency. Last year, Wendy’s partnered with Google Cloud to develop an AI drive-thru order system, following similar initiatives by Panda Express and Taco John’s.
However, the introduction of AI in the restaurant industry has not been without challenges. McDonald’s recently ended its partnership with IBM, which was working on an AI-driven order taker, due to viral videos showing inaccurate orders at its drive-thrus. The chain also stopped its AI tests at more than 100 restaurants.
Despite these challenges, Yum! Brands believes its efforts will be successful. “After over two years of testing and refining the drive-thru Voice AI technology, we are confident in its ability to optimize operations and improve customer satisfaction,” the company stated.
Additionally, Yum! Brands is testing its voice AI technology at five KFC restaurants in Australia and plans to expand these services globally.