The fast-food chain Wendy’s will implement artificial intelligence (AI) to assist with order-taking at hundreds of its drive-thru windows before the end of the year.
In today’s digital era, AI has become an essential tool for brands to optimize customer service. Companies across various industries are implementing AI solutions to improve efficiency, personalize experiences, and anticipate consumer needs.
According to a Gartner study, by 2026, an estimated 80 percent of customer service interactions will be handled by AI-powered automated solutions, reducing operational costs by 30 percent.
The immediate impact of AI in this sector is evident in reduced wait times and 24/7 availability, enhancing user experience. A Salesforce report revealed that 69 percent of consumers prefer interacting with chatbots for quick inquiries rather than waiting for a human agent.
AI Voice Assistant for Drive-Thru Orders
The announcement was made by CEO Kirk Tanner during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Thursday, February 13, according to People.
Wendy’s AI voice assistant, called FreshAI, was first tested in 2023 and is currently used in around 100 Wendy’s locations. The company expects to expand it to between 500 and 600 locations by the end of the year.
FreshAI is a collaboration with Google Cloud, and Tanner reportedly tests it personally several times a week at a Wendy’s location near the company’s headquarters in Dublin, Ohio.
Tanner stated that FreshAI “allows customers to prepare their orders” and “understands what to order.”
Regarding system accuracy, Tanner noted that “it is definitely improving.” If the expansion goes well, the CEO hopes to roll it out across Wendy’s 6,000 restaurants in the United States.
“It has a bright future, and we are making progress,” he said during the earnings call.
Customers React with Skepticism
Wendy’s customers seemed skeptical about the move and took to Reddit to share their opinions.
“Alright, time to stop eating at Wendy’s,” one user wrote.
“Yeah. The day I arrive and there’s no human interaction is the day I order 10 meal ‘deals,’ leave, and never come back,” joked another.
One Reddit user shared that they encountered this system at a Taco Bell and “had to ask for a real person because that damn thing couldn’t understand me.”
“Have you ever used one of those AI ordering things? They suck big time,” another user wrote.
“AI order takers are garbage and mess up orders so often that I had to ask an employee to take my order because it was so bad,” another person shared.
“Well, I was planning to go to Wendy’s with my family today. Not anymore,” one user commented.
It is worth noting that Wendy’s is not the first fast-food chain to test AI-powered ordering. In 2021, McDonald’s partnered with IBM to use artificial intelligence software for taking customer orders.
In July 2024, McDonald’s ended its AI-driven automated drive-thru experiment at more than 100 locations after frustrated customers reported receiving items they had not ordered.
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