AI voices are increasingly taking fast-food drive-thru orders

In short: More fast-food chains in the US are using AI voices to take drive-thru orders, and the share of locations using them is rising.

What's going on

Some drive-thru speakers now use an AI voice instead of a person wearing a headset. AI here means software that can listen to what you say and respond, like a phone assistant, but for ordering food.

According to Intouch Insight’s annual Drive Thru Survey, about 4 percent of US fast-food locations used voice AI in 2024. That rose to 5 percent last year, and early research suggests it has now reached 6 percent. For many customers, the first hint is that the voice sounds unusually polite and smooth.

Several large chains are expanding. Taco Bell said in July it has rolled out AI ordering at 890 drive-thru lanes, which is more than 10 percent of its US locations. Dairy Queen is implementing the tech in 25 states, with plans to expand further. White Castle says about 12 percent of its locations use an AI voice called “Julia,” and new locations open with it.

The push has not been straight up. Earlier attempts went viral for wrong orders, like AI adding huge amounts of food, or adding bacon to an ice cream order. Intouch Insight also found AI drive-thrus can be less accurate and can struggle with some accents, so some restaurants keep a human worker ready to step in.

What to watch

Chains say the systems can speed service and upsell more often, which is like a cashier who always remembers to ask, “Do you want fries with that?” Watch for more rollouts, more language options, and more debate about whether customers should be clearly told when they are talking to a bot.

Source: Wired