Wendy plans to expand “voice-enabled AI orders” at up to 600 restaurants nationwide by the end of the year, CEO Kirktanner confirmed in a recent revenue call.
The Burger Chain currently uses AI voice assistants and has begun testing in 2023 at around 100 Wendy locations.
Tanner said he personally tested the Order Assistant, a collaboration with Google Cloud known as Fresh AI, every week at a Wendy location near his headquarters in Dublin, Ohio.
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“I tested it three or four times a week, and the experience is exceptional,” Tanner said in part of a Q&A on the phone. “It also promotes sales. It gives customers the opportunity to build an order, understand what to look for, and understand the accuracy that it is definitely improving.”
Tanner also said that if the latest deployment is successful, Wendy’s could incorporate fresh AI into the “remaining part of the system.” The company also aims to implement more digital menu boards and kiosks, releasing crew members to work on quality and accuracy.
Still, as detailed on the company’s subreddit, news responses are mixed among Wendy’s customers. Some people are happy with the expansion and express positive experiences with AI orders, while others say that technology frequently makes orders wrong.
Like Wendy, other fast food companies such as McDonald’s, Checker, Larry and Burger King have tested or implemented AI ordering systems.
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