McDonald’s to end AI drive-thru test
(NewsNation) — McDonald’s is ending a test of artificial intelligence in drive-thru lanes, pulling the technology from the 100 stores where it was in use.
“While there have been successes to date, we feel there is an opportunity to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly,” Mason Smoot, chief restaurant officer for McDonald’s USA, wrote in an email to franchisees Thursday, according to Restaurant Business. Smoot added that the technology will be shut off in all restaurants currently testing it by July 26, 2024.
The company had partnered with IBM to test automated voice ordering in the drive-thru to see if it would help increase speed and simplify operations.
Several other fast food chains have been testing AI as well in an effort to eliminate the need for human workers to take drive-thru orders. That would enable the stores to hire fewer employees or put those staff members to work in other areas.
While AI might help stores reduce labor costs, posts on social media showed the technology was not always a hit with customers who struggled to get correct orders without a human involved.
On TikToker documented her struggles while ordering an ice cream and a cup of water in a video she captioned “Fighting with McDonald’s robot.”
A request to remove the caramel topping from a caramel sundae was apparently enough to derail the order, resulting in the addition of ketchup and butter.
“I’m done, I’m done,” the TikToker finally says and proceeds to the window to clear up the confusion.
Another person on TikTok shared their own experience, writing, “The McDonald’s robot is wild.” The two occupants of the car are nearly overcome with laughter as their order, 2 10-piece McNuggets meals, is accompanied by a McNuggets Meals order that starts at $211.80 and continues to climb, soaring above $275.
McDonald’s has not ruled out additional experimentation with AI-powered voice ordering but indicated it did not plan to continue to work with IBM on that particular technology.
Nexstar’s NewsNation has reached out to McDonald’s for comment.
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