McDonald's is testing some high-tech tools in the Chicagoland area that aim to speed up the drive-thru line.
The Golden Arches is piloting voice-recognition drive-thru software and robot fryers at a location in suburban Chicago, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The voice-recognition software begins by asking customers as they pull up to the drive-thru: “Hey there. Welcome to McDonald’s. What would you like to order?” A Naperville resident who interacted with the technology said it "worked perfectly,” though the Wall Street Journal noted that not every order went smoothly. A customer who hesitated to respond to the automated prompts tripped up the software, causing a worker to intervene.
The robotic fryer, meanwhile, automatically tossed chicken, fish and fries into oil. McDonald's told the WSJ that both the fryer and drive-thru software would be rolled out to other locations soon.
McDonald's move to automate the drive-thru lane comes as startups have worked in recent years to launch similar tech. Chicago startup Encounter AI, founded in 2018, created a voice-enabled assistant called “Mai” that can collect and process orders made at the drive-thru. It’s currently working with three of the top 20 fast food brands in the U.S., founder Derrick Johnson told Chicago Inno earlier this year. Its technology is currently piloting at restaurants in Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis.
Denver-based Valyant AI, founded in 2017, is also building an AI voice-ordering platform for restaurants. The startup, which is piloting its tech at a Good Times Burgers and Frozen Custard in Denver, has raised over $3 million to date.
McDonald's has invested heavily in new technology to improve the fast food experience. It reportedly paid $300M for a startup named Dynamic Yield, which creates customized drive-thru menus. It's also rolled out things like in-store tablet ordering and food delivery via Uber Eats.
