McDonald’s Halts AI Drive-Thru Program, Plans Broader Voice Ordering Solutions

After two years of testing, McDonald’s has ended its AI drive-thru program. The Chicago-based fast food giant informed its franchises of this decision via email, which was subsequently obtained by Restaurant Business news.

Despite ending the current program, McDonald’s hinted that AI-powered drive-thru automation remains a possibility for the future. The company is considering deploying the system in the Philippines and other countries outside the US.

Why Did McDonald’s End the AI Drive-Thru Program?

“While there have been successes to date, we feel there is an opportunity to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly,” said Mason Smoot, McDonald’s chief restaurant officer, in the message.

After thorough review, McDonald’s has decided to end its partnership with IBM on the AI drive-thru project. The technology will be discontinued in all participating restaurants by July 26, 2024. The company will continue evaluating options to finalize a future voice ordering solution by the end of the year.

The global fast-food chain initially launched the AI drive-thru project to determine if automated voice ordering could streamline operations. McDonald’s is optimistic about the technology’s potential and will seek another vendor to continue developing the solution.

Other fast-food chains, such as Hardee’s, Carl’s Jr., Wendy’s, and Dunkin’, are also experimenting with AI drive-thrus. The aim is to automate order-taking, potentially reducing the need for human employees and allowing staff to focus on other tasks.

Despite discontinuing the current AI drive-thru program, McDonald’s acknowledges the significant potential of this technology. The company expressed gratitude to IBM and the restaurant teams involved in the trial.

“IBM has given us confidence that a voice ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurant’s future, and we want to sincerely thank IBM and the restaurant teams that have been part of this crucial test,” Smoot concluded.