"ZDNET's key takeaways Fast-food chains are experimenting with AI in drive-thrus. Previous gen AI order-takers failed. AI voice tech is playing a larger role in customer service. Fast-food restaurants like Taco Bell and McDonald's tried to integrate AI into their daily operations, but rethought their decisions when customers complained. According to the , customers either griped about glitches and delays or the odd nature of the technology -- or, in some cases, chose to troll the AI employee by ordering 18,000 cups of water."
"As a result, the two fast-food giants have reconsidered their AI strategies, looking for new ways to implement the technology without putting off customers. The goal is for restaurant technology to alleviate the pressure on human workers dealing with drive-thru, counter, and mobile orders. Last year, McDonald's ended its two-year experiment testing automated order-taking in partnership with IBM. According to , the decision came after the technology added items to an order that customers didn't ask for, and offered bacon with an ice cream cone."
McDonald's, Taco Bell and other chains experimented with automated AI order-taking but faced customer complaints, glitches, delays, and trolling (for example, orders for 18,000 cups of water). The experiments sometimes produced incorrect orders, such as added items or inappropriate suggestions like bacon with ice cream. Companies are reassessing deployment strategies, shifting toward AI voice technology and selective use when traffic is lighter. Human employees are being positioned to monitor AI, handle busy periods, and step in when errors occur. The objective is to reduce pressure on staff across drive-thru, counter, and mobile channels while avoiding customer dissatisfaction.
Read at ZDNET
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]