Yum! Brands, the fast-food powerhouse, announced plans to implement AI in hundreds of its outlets starting this April. Various other fast-food chains have piloted the technology with varying degrees of success.
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In an innovative step, AI will start taking orders at 500 prominent fast-food locations, including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC.
Through collaboration with tech company Nvidia, Yum! Brands is set to launch AI across numerous locations from April to June. This initiative will integrate voice-ordering technology capable of managing intricate menu requests and adapting to customer speech patterns, as specified in a recent press release.
“Looking towards the future, Yum! is leveraging AI to assist employees with complex tasks, including AI agents that plan, reason, and act to facilitate operations at our restaurants,” the parent company detailed in the release.
The deployment will feature advanced AI equipped with language capabilities, emotional understanding, and personalized customer interactions, according to Yum! Brands.
Nvidia’s AI technology has already been successfully trialed in select Taco Bell and Pizza Hut outlets, as reported by Yum! Brands. The technology is anticipated to “enhance drive-thru efficiency and optimize back-of-house labor management utilizing real-time analytics and notifications.”
Wendy’s and McDonald’s also employing AI for drive-thru orders
Yum! Brands is joining the ranks of other fast-food franchises like McDonald’s and Wendy’s that have explored AI deployment in their operations.
During a call with investors on February 13, Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner revealed plans to roll out voice-enabled AI ordering across up to 600 restaurants nationwide, as they were impressed with the pilot program’s outcomes at nearly 100 locations.
Tanner emphasized that FreshAI “enhances the customer experience and yields certain labor efficiencies in our establishments.”
On the other hand, McDonald’s wrapped up a pilot AI initiative last July after patrons reported inaccuracies in their orders. Back in 2021, the fast-food chain joined forces with IBM to test AI ordering technology at over 100 sites, according to reports from CNBC and Fox Business.
“Despite some positive outcomes, we recognize there’s a chance to further investigate voice ordering solutions,” Smoot’s memo stated, as reported by CNBC. “After careful evaluation, McDonald’s has decided to terminate our current partnership with IBM regarding AOT… IBM continues to be a valued partner, and we will persist in utilizing many of their other products within our system.”
Mixed reactions from fast food customers regarding AI
While many may embrace AI in fast-food establishments, a portion of the public has taken to social media to express their displeasure and astonishment.
Contributing: Amaris Encinas and Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY
