AI-yai-yai: Taco Bell betting big on AI for its drive-thrus

Soon the person taking your Taco Bell order at the drive-thru won’t be a person at all.

Yum! Brands, the conglomerate owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, has announced plans to deploy Voice AI technology across Taco Bell drive-thru locations in the U.S. — hundreds of stores — by the end of 2024. 

Yum! also has plans to expand the tech to its eateries globally in the near future, according to a press release.

In the statement, the company says the technology’s benefits include “easing task load for team members, improving order accuracy, providing a consistent, friendly experience, and reducing wait times, while driving profitable growth for Taco Bell, Yum! Brands and their franchisees.”

Incidentally, McDonald’s has officially ended an AI pilot program for its drive-thrus that used technology from IBM. Among the issues, CNBC says, was IBM’s Automated Order Taker had difficulty processing customers’ accents. McDonald’s is currently looking for a new vendor.