May I Take Your Order? How AI Is Changing Fast-food Drive-thrus - AI Summary

"AI is already a part of the drive-thru experience and it will only increase, that's the direction tech is moving in," Carpenter told TODAY Food. And while AI will certainly give customers a speedier drive-thru experience, Carpenter says that it's actually the on-site staff that will benefit the most from adoption of the tech. Carpenter estimates that this new technology will have a massive impact on the fast food industry's bottom line, and not just because they will be getting more cars through, faster. Mason Smoot, senior vice president and chief restaurant officer for McDonald's USA, said in a November 2020 investor update that McDonald's is seizing many opportunities they see in drive-thru ordering -- something the fast-food chain has been doing for over 45 years. Other options to improve speed and service include side-by-side drive-thru lanes, enabling two customers to order at the same time.