McDonald's A.I. Drive-Thru Struggles to Get Orders Right

Ordering food at the drive-thru can be a frustrating experience, especially during peak hours. To address this issue, McDonald's introduced automated drive-thru ordering using artificial intelligence (A.I.) software. While the technology has the potential to streamline the ordering process, customers have reported that it isn't always accurate.

In 2021, McDonald's announced its partnership with technology firm BMI to "further accelerate the development and deployment of its Automated Order Taking (AOT) technology." The venture aimed to provide ordering solutions to customers to make the entire process seamless. According to the statement, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said he expected the artificial intelligence software to impact nearly 14,000 sites.

Despite the hype surrounding automated drive-thrus, A.I. technology is not living up to expectations. The technology