Taco Bell has added AI to its mobile app, offering personalized menu suggestions for heavy users ... [ ] (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Artificial intelligence was identified by a number of restaurant tech providers as a top trend for 2020 and, so far, those predictions seem pretty spot on. Up until now, we've seen just a surface scratch of AI's potential in the restaurant space, with chains like Chick-fil-A quietly leveraging the technology to identify food safety issues, and TGI Fridays using it to sell more alcohol, for example. But thanks in large part to McDonald's $300 million investment in Dynamic Yield last March, AI is no longer an under-the-radar experimentation. And now, Taco Bell is making its case for AI, announcing a broader partnership with Certona last week to create a more personalized experience for its mobile app users, of which there are 5 million. Through the technology, machine learning derives the most relevant menu items for app users and also pushes promotions and content based on an individual customer's behavior.

Taco Bell has added AI to its mobile app, offering personalized menu suggestions for heavy users ... [ ] (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Artificial Intelligence was identified by a number of restaurant tech providers as a top trend for 2020 and, so far, those predictions seem pretty spot on. Up until now, we've seen just a surface scratch of AI's potential in the restaurant space, with chains like Chick-fil-A quietly leveraging the technology to identify food safety issues, and TGI Fridays using it to sell more alcohol, for example. But thanks in large part to McDonald's $300 million investment in Dynamic Yield in March, AI is no longer an under-the-radar experimentation. And now, Taco Bell is making its case for AI, announcing a broader partnership with Certona last week to create a more personalized experience for its mobile app users, of which there are 5 million. Through the technology, machine learning derives the most relevant menu items for app users and also pushes promotions and content based on an individual customer's behavior.

This is the second in a series of articles looking at the impact of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in restaurants. Artificial intelligence is becoming a crucial asset in the restaurant technology playbook. But as many brands invest in consumer-facing products like automated drive-thrus and in-store kiosks, experts argue that back-of-house improvement will have the biggest impact on bottom lines. As the industry nears an AI tipping point, it's more important than ever for smaller companies to seriously consider how to implement the tech in their systems -- or risk facing serious consequences in three to five years, Aaron Allen & Associates CEO Aaron Allen told Restaurant Dive. "We see massive closures and bankruptcies and retooling of restaurants in much the same way we're seeing in retail," Allen said.

Diners want to feel known. Restaurants will need to lean on machine learning to deliver predictive personalization and survive growing competition, Chief Experience Officer Sherif Mityas says. This is the third in a series of articles looking at the impact of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in restaurants. Technology may be transforming what connection between diners and restaurants look like, but a core motivation remains unchanged: people want to eat where everybody knows their name. With machine learning, TGI Fridays has been able to learn much more about its guests -- from favorite meals to whether they prefer to receive marketing outreach via email or text -- and bring that personalization to scale.

This is the second in a series of articles looking at the impact of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in restaurants. Artificial intelligence is becoming a crucial asset in the restaurant technology playbook. But as many brands invest in consumer-facing products like automated drive-thrus and in-store kiosks, experts argue that back-of-house improvement will have the biggest impact on bottom lines. As the industry nears an AI tipping point, it's more important than ever for smaller companies to seriously consider how to implement the tech in their systems -- or risk facing serious consequences in three to five years, Aaron Allen & Associates CEO Aaron Allen told Restaurant Dive. "We see massive closures and bankruptcies and retooling of restaurants in much the same way we're seeing in retail," Allen said.

Although the idea of "artificial intelligence" has been around since 1956, this seems to be a breakthrough year for AI in the restaurant space. Major players from Chick-fil-A to Chipotle to Domino's have implemented AI in some form or fashion, whether to identify food safety issues, scale up logistics or generate orders via voice assistance. Even some smaller chains are getting on board the AI train. In February, Colorado-based Good Times Burger & Frozen Custard launched its conversational AI platform through a partnership with Valyant AI, for example. Perhaps the biggest breakthrough came when McDonald's adopted the technology.

Daniel McCann, founder of 5Thru, became frustrated with waiting in growing drive-thru lines -- sometimes 15 cars deep -- to buy his morning coffee. As a payments expert, he knew that payments at the window take 23 to 25 seconds to process in addition to cook times, which adds up quickly if there is a line. Instead of waiting, he would often have to forgo the drive-thru and head to the office without his caffeine fix. He thought there had to be a better way. "Drive-thrus are one of those things that are still being done today as they were 50 years ago," McCann told Restaurant Dive.