Fast-food drive-thrus aren’t necessarily speeding up, but they’re getting smarter — and according to a new report, human friendliness still beats artificial intelligence when it comes to customer satisfaction.
The 25th Annual Drive-Thru Study, conducted by Intouch Insight and QSR Magazine, analyzed 13 major fast-food brands across the U.S. Researchers made over 2,000 undercover visits between June and July, posing as regular customers.
The average total drive-thru time came in at five minutes and 35 seconds, just slightly slower than last year but still faster than when factoring in newly added chains like Popeyes, Dutch Bros, Starbucks and Tim Hortons.
Taco Bell was the fastest overall, clocking in at around four minutes per order. Chick-fil-A was the slowest — but it topped the charts for customer satisfaction, tying with Dutch Bros, a fast-growing coffee chain.
Researchers said drive-thrus have evolved from quick-service spots to “digital fulfillment hubs,” where balancing speed, personalization and guest connection is key.
Dutch Bros also ranked as the most accurate chain, followed by Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s, which tied for second place. Among the three categories, classic fast food (Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Arby’s) ranked fastest with 87% accuracy but scored lowest in friendliness.
The chicken segment (Chick-fil-A, KFC, Popeyes and Raising Cane’s) earned the highest marks for friendliness and food quality — but also had the longest waits and lowest accuracy.
“Accuracy and friendliness are the strongest drivers,” the report found. “Getting the order right and interacting politely yield high satisfaction.”
The beverage segment (Starbucks, Dunkin’, Tim Hortons and Dutch Bros) balanced speed with accuracy and had minimal upselling, with Dutch Bros and Tim Hortons leading the group.
Across all brands, the averages were strong: 87% order accuracy, 97% food quality, and 91% overall satisfaction.
For the first time, the study also looked at AI-powered drive-thrus, evaluating 120 AI orders. AI systems were faster — averaging 3 minutes and 53 seconds, compared to 4 minutes and 15 seconds for humans — but less friendly. Accuracy dipped slightly to 83%, though satisfaction was surprisingly higher at 97%.
The novelty of AI may explain the higher satisfaction, the report suggested. “For many guests, interacting with AI feels new and exciting,” it said. “Even when the service isn’t perfect, the experience feels modern.”
Still, the report concluded that the winning formula is a mix of speed, friendliness and technology — the combination that will define the future of the modern drive-thru.