The Blubber

AI will soon be taking fast-food orders at hundreds of major chains, including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC.

Yum! Brands, the parent company of all three, announced this week that it’s partnering with tech company Nvidia to launch artificial intelligence across 500 of its restaurants beginning in April, with the rollout continuing through June. The new system will include advanced voice-ordering AI capable of handling complex menu requests and adapting to various customer speech patterns, according to a press release.

“Looking ahead, Yum! is expanding AI to help team members manage complex tasks, including AI agents that plan, reason and act to assist across restaurants,” the company said in the announcement.

The rollout will feature next-generation AI tools that incorporate language models, emotional recognition, and the ability to deliver more personalized interactions with customers.

Nvidia’s AI technology has already been tested at select Taco Bell and Pizza Hut locations in what Yum! Brands described as a “successful pilot.” The technology is expected to enhance drive-thru speed and back-of-house operations by using real-time analytics and alerts to improve workflow and efficiency.

AI in Fast Food: An Industry Trend

Yum! Brands is just the latest fast-food giant to embrace AI. Wendy’s and McDonald’s have also been testing similar tools to streamline operations.

During a February 13 earnings call, Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner said the company plans to introduce voice-enabled AI at up to 600 restaurants nationwide after positive results from a pilot involving around 100 locations. Tanner said the technology, called FreshAI, “improves the customer experience and enables some labor efficiencies in our restaurants.”

McDonald’s, meanwhile, ended its own AI trial last July after customers experienced issues with incorrect orders. The chain had teamed up with IBM back in 2021 to test AI-powered drive-thru ordering at over 100 locations, according to reports from CNBC and Fox Business.