McDonald's Ends AI-Driven Drive-Thru Trial

McDonald’s Ends AI-Driven Drive-Thru Trial, Paving Way for Voice-Ordering Future

As the fast-food industry continues to embrace new technologies, McDonald’s has made the decision to discontinue its artificial intelligence (AI) ordering system at over 100 drive-thru locations in the U.S. This move comes as a potential setback in the industry’s rapid adoption of AI, despite McDonald’s ongoing efforts to integrate the technology into its operations. In 2021, McDonald’s established a partnership with IBM to develop Automated Order Taking (AOT) technology as part of its “Accelerating the Arches” growth strategy.

IBM touted the advanced capabilities of the technology, such as its speed and accuracy, even under challenging conditions. However, according to reports from Restaurant Business, McDonald’s plans to deactivate the AI technology in the participating restaurants by July 26, 2024. In an email to franchisees, McDonald’s stated that while IBM remains a valued partner, the company will explore AI solutions with other companies in the future.

Nevertheless, McDonald’s reassured that this decision does not signal the end of its AI initiatives. The company intends to assess scalable, long-term solutions for voice-ordering technology by the end of 2024. Mason Smoot, the chief restaurant officer for McDonald’s USA, explained in an email, “While there have been successes to date, we feel there is an opportunity to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly.”

He added, “After a thoughtful review, McDonald’s has decided to end our current partnership with IBM on AOT, and the technology will be shut off in all restaurants currently testing it no later than July 26, 2024.” In a subsequent statement, a company spokesperson emphasized, “As we move forward, 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 believes there is tremendous potential in advancing its restaurant technology and will continue to evaluate long-term, scalable solutions. The company aims to make an informed decision on a future voice ordering solution by the end of the year. Meanwhile, IBM has indicated that it is in discussions with other fast-food chains for the use of its AI technology.

IBM developed automated order taker technologies with McDonald’s to support the emerging use of voice-activated AI in restaurant drive-thrus. A spokesperson from IBM highlighted the comprehensive capabilities of the technology, stating, “This technology is proven to have some of the most comprehensive capabilities in the industry, fast and accurate in some of the most demanding conditions.” The spokesperson also expressed the company’s eagerness to continue working with McDonald’s on various other projects despite the reevaluation of AOT.

With McDonald’s ending its AI-driven drive-thru trial, the stage is set for the future of voice ordering in the fast-food industry. While setbacks like this can occur as new technologies are explored, it is clear that McDonald’s remains committed to leveraging AI to enhance its operations. The decision to explore voice-ordering solutions more broadly indicates a shift in strategy and opens up exciting possibilities for new technological advancements in the company’s drive-thru experience. As the year progresses, we will eagerly await McDonald’s decision on its future voice ordering solution, anticipating yet another innovation from the fast-food giant.