May AI Take Your Order? The Rise and Challenges of Drive-Thru Chatbots

In recent years, the way we order food at fast-food restaurants has begun to change. Instead of speaking to a person, customers at many drive-thrus are now greeted by artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. These computer programs are designed to listen to your order, understand your requests, and send the information to the kitchen. While companies hope this technology will make service faster and more accurate, the transition has been far from smooth.

The trend began in 2021 when McDonald’s started testing voice-ordering technology at several locations in Chicago. The company had purchased a startup called Apprente to help build these systems and later worked with IBM to expand the project. Soon after, other major chains followed this path. According to The Verge, companies like Checkers and Rally’s teamed up with an AI provider called Presto in 2022 to put chatbots in all their corporate-owned drive-thrus. The goal was to sell more food and improve the accuracy of orders. By 2023, Wendy’s launched its own system called “FreshAI” in Ohio, which was trained to understand specific menu names like “Frosty.” Taco Bell also joined the movement, announcing plans to bring voice AI to hundreds of locations.

Fast-food chains often describe these systems as a way to help their employees. By letting a computer handle the ordering process, companies say they can reduce the workload for staff. This allows workers to focus on other important tasks, such as preparing food or cleaning the restaurant. Taco Bell, for example, told the public that the technology would help cut down on long wait times for customers. Other popular chains, including Panera Bread, White Castle, and Popeyes, have also started testing similar systems to see if they can improve their daily operations.

However, the experience for the customer has been mixed. Many people find it difficult to talk to a machine that might not understand them perfectly. Some customers have even expressed their frustration on social media. According to The Verge, some people have tried to trick the AI by making strange orders, such as asking for 18,000 cups of water, or by speaking in different languages just to force the system to connect them to a human worker. A survey conducted by YouGov in early 2025 showed that 55 percent of Americans would prefer a human to take their order. Only 4 percent of those surveyed said they would rather use an AI chatbot.

This negative feedback is starting to change how companies view the technology. Because of the lukewarm response from the public, some businesses are reconsidering their strategies. For instance, McDonald’s ended its partnership with IBM in 2024. Similarly, Taco Bell has begun to reevaluate its use of AI drive-thrus after seeing the frustration expressed by customers online. It is clear that while the technology is meant to make things easier, it has created new problems for both the companies and the people they serve.

Beyond customer satisfaction, there are other issues to consider. The Verge noted that the credibility of these technology companies is also a concern. For example, the Securities and Exchange Commission—the government agency that protects investors—has charged Presto with issues related to its business. This adds another layer of difficulty for chains that are trying to rely on these outside tech partners to run their drive-thrus.

As we look toward the future, it remains uncertain how common these AI chatbots will become. While the technology is designed to be efficient, it cannot yet replace the human touch that many customers expect. For now, the fast-food industry is learning that technology is not always the perfect solution for every problem. Whether these systems will eventually improve enough to win over the public or disappear from drive-thrus entirely is a question that many companies are still trying to answer.