Taco Bell might soon have fewer people between you and your Cheesy Gordita Crunch.
The fast-food chain plans to expand AI voice technology in its drive-thrus across hundreds of US locations by year-end, Yum! Brands announced Wednesday.
When you place an order, you'll likely be talking to a computer, not a human.
Other chains are also testing AI in drive-thrus to free up employees for other tasks and increase sales. However, Taco Bell’s expansion follows a rival's tech troubles.
Last month, McDonald’s halted its AI ordering at over 100 drive-thrus due to customer complaints about incorrect orders. Viral videos showed AI errors, like a woman receiving nine sweet teas she didn’t want and a girl shouting “stop” as the system added dozens of chicken nugget orders.
AI’s struggle in drive-thrus isn’t shocking. It needs extensive voice samples to understand various accents and speech patterns, and noisy environments can disrupt recognition. We've all faced the frustration of malfunctioning computer assistants, wishing for human help.
Lawrence Kim, chief innovation officer at Yum! Brands, is confident in their technology, already used in 100 Taco Bell locations across 13 states. He claims it’s led to better order accuracy, happier employees, and shorter wait times.
“We are confident that we’ve approached this the right way,” Kim said, highlighting two years of testing, feedback, and improvements. Although Yum! Brands didn’t provide specific improvement data, it noted $30 billion in sales from digital-first channels.
Kim didn’t reveal which tech partners were involved in developing the AI tool.
The company learned that not everyone orders the same way. For instance, the AI had to recognize both the correct “kay-sah-dee-ya” and the common “kay-sah-DILL-uh.”
If there’s an issue, a Taco Bell employee is always listening and can step in.
Kim denied that AI would replace human jobs, a common concern with new AI tools. “Voice AI does not replace any team members,” he said, explaining it’s meant to “enhance the team member experience.”
Kim sees AI expanding to other areas at Taco Bell and other Yum! Brands chains like Pizza Hut, KFC, and The Habit Burger Grill.
“I believe the applications for voice AI are boundless,” Kim said. “The technology is emerging and evolving quickly, and we’re continuously evaluating what could be next.”