The trial of McDonald’s, the fast food giant's current automated order taker is nearing its end. McDonald's has announced that it has decided to conclude its global partnership with IBM, which has been testing this artificial intelligence technology at select drive-thrus since 2021.
However, this doesn't mean one won't encounter chatbots when picking up fries on their way home in the future. Reports suggest that although the partnership with IBM for the automated order taker test is wrapping up, the Chicago-based company hinted that it is still open to exploring other potential AI drive-thru solutions down the line, indicating "an opportunity to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly."
"Our work with IBM has given us the confidence that a voice ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurants' future," McDonald's mentioned in a statement this week, additionally pointing out that it would continue assessments to "make an informed decision on a future voice ordering solution by the end of the year."
Several fast food chains have started incorporating AI into their operations in recent years, aiming to enhance speed and reduce costs. In the U.S., Wendy's partnered with Google Cloud to develop the ‘Wendy's FreshAI’ chatbot. White Castle collaborated with SoundHound AI to bring voice-powered technology to over 100 restaurants by the end of 2024. Additionally, several Panera, Arby's, and Popeyes locations have introduced OpenCity's ‘Tori’ voice assistant to their order lanes.
Internationally, Popeyes U.K. recently launched its first AI-powered drive-thru, named ‘Al’, following a pilot program that reported 97 per cent accuracy. The success of AI-powered drive-thrus has been varied. For instance, McDonald's automated order taker with IBM faced numerous complaints, with many customers taking to social media to share instances of the chatbot misunderstanding their orders.
A 2023 TikTok video appears to show the drive-thru assistant repeatedly placing orders for McDonald's chicken nuggets on a single car tab, despite the customers laughingly asking it to stop. Other posts highlight various mishaps, such as the assistant adding unusual extras like ice cream with ketchup and butter or mixing up orders from nearby cars. It struggles with interpreting different accents and dialects, among other issues affecting order accuracy. McDonald's declined to comment on the accuracy of the automated order taker.
In an initial statement, IBM claimed that "this technology is proven to have some of the most comprehensive capabilities in the industry, performing quickly and accurately under demanding conditions." However, the company did not immediately respond to requests for further comment regarding specific challenges. The Armonk, a New York-based tech firm also mentioned that it is currently "in discussions and pilots" with several other quick-serve restaurant clients interested in the automated order taker.
As per reports, the automated order technology will be shut off in McDonald's locations testing it ‘no later than 26 July, 2024’.
Both IBM and McDonald's emphasised that, despite ending their AI drive-thru partnership, they will continue collaborating on other projects. McDonald's indicated that it will still utilise many of IBM's products across its global operations.
In December, McDonald's initiated a multi-year partnership with Google Cloud. This collaboration aims to move restaurant computations from servers to the cloud and to apply generative AI ‘across several key business priorities’ in restaurants worldwide.
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