The Verge tests Starbucks ordering inside ChatGPT and finds it clunky

In short: A Verge writer tested Starbucks ordering inside ChatGPT and said it was slower and more confusing than using the regular Starbucks app.

What happened

Starbucks recently added a way to start an order inside ChatGPT, the popular AI chatbot (a text box you can talk to like it is a person). To begin, a user opens ChatGPT, types “@Starbucks,” and then types what they want to order.

In a test, The Verge’s David Pierce tried to order a common drink, a venti iced coffee with light skim milk. ChatGPT replied with a description of the drink instead of just placing the order. Pierce then had to pick from menu options, tap “Customize,” scroll through choices, and set the size and milk, or else the wrong drink ended up in the cart.

When he tried adding a second drink described loosely as “the fruity tea,” ChatGPT guessed a different item. After more back and forth, he hit a warning that the chat was nearing its message limit. He also said ChatGPT had his location wrong, offered stores far away, and showed an error when he tried to fix it on a map.

After ChatGPT reduced him to a less capable free model, it told him it could not place orders directly and offered instructions for using the Starbucks app instead.

Why it matters

This is a real example of a common problem with AI chat features. For simple tasks, like buying the same coffee you always buy, chatting can add extra steps, like trying to order by having a conversation instead of pressing a few clear buttons.

Source: The Verge AI