McDonald's, Chipotle and more are implementing AI for its ordering system

mood · Sep 10, 2019

McDonald's Doubles Down on Tech With Voice AI Acquisition
The Golden Arches will acquire Apprente, a "sound-to-meaning" voice assistant, to speed up its drive-through
September 10, 2019
https://www.wired.com/story/mcdonalds-acquires-apprente-voice-ai/

When McDonald's spent over $300 million on big-data-crunching startup Dynamic Yield earlier this year, the move came as something of a surprise. The follow-up should not. Today the Golden Arches announced the acquisition of Apprente, a voice AI system focused on fast-food ordering. It's a niche, but it just paid off.

Specific terms of the deal have not been disclosed. But the synergies are at least more immediately understandable.
Apprente's ultimate goal is to increase the speed of any given transaction. Anyone who's had to repeat their order into a squawking speaker knows that pain.

[...] On that last point, an Apprente press release last fall touted that its AI "offers a more consistent and pleasurable customer service experience with its virtual agents never sounding tired, annoyed, unhappy, or angry." McDonald's declined to comment on whether its efficiencies would also result in fewer human jobs.
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ProTruckDriver · Sep 10, 2019

Well now that they dumb down the person taking the order at McDonald's Drive-Through, I wonder what they are going to do with the people that screw up making the order. Have Robot's make it.

mood · Sep 14, 2019

Chipotle plans to implement AI ordering system before year's end
September 13, 2019
https://betanews.com/2019/09/13/chipotle-ai-ordering/

Chipotle's recent experiments with allowing artificial intelligence (AI) to handle some elements of phone orders seem to have met the chain's expectations.
After initially launching the option at 10 locations, it rolled out the technology to 1,800 restaurants. Now, Chipotle intends to bring the high-tech system to all its branches by the end of 2019.

The company does not yet have data that confirms whether it saved money with this method, or if the technology helped boost sales. The setup reportedly reduces the amount of time workers spend handling phone calls. Chipotle also says its reliance on technology relates to convenience for customers.
More Brands Testing AI Ordering
The decision from Chipotle to bring AI phone ordering to all its locations soon is likely somewhat driven by how other brands are trying it, too. McDonalds and Sonic Drive-In are among the other companies making the leap to AI.
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mood · Sep 16, 2019

mood said: ↑

McDonald's Doubles Down on Tech With Voice AI Acquisition
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McDonald's big AI splurge is all about drive-through domination
Its goal? To turnaround its drive-through game and pull ahead of its foes
September 16, 2019
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/mcdonalds-technology-ai-drive-through-apprente

The technology will be deployed in drive-throughs, and potentially self-order kiosks and mobile apps, in a move to increase automation in restaurants and speed up delivery, while also reducing inaccuracies in order taking.
With 70 per cent of the chain’s orders coming through drive-throughs, it is easy to see why the fast food company would want to make the experience a seamless one.

But competition is also coming from other fronts. Feng Li, chair of information management at Cass Business School, explains that new players such as home delivery companies are setting new standards in the industry.
“These powerful new players are coming into the market with new capabilities to provide personalised services to their customers.” he says. “Restaurant businesses respond to this new competition by using new technologies. It is a defence strategy.”
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xxJackxx · Sep 16, 2019

ProTruckDriver said: ↑

Well now that they dumb down the person taking the order at McDonald's Drive-Through, I wonder what they are going to do with the people that screw up making the order. Have Robot's make it.
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They probably will have robots make it. It is very likely that sooner than later there will be no people working at these places. Maybe one person will deliver the uncooked food until they figure out how to automate that as well. I don't know who will buy it when there are no more jobs though...

mood · Nov 24, 2020

Kea Raises $10M to Bring its AI-Based Phone System to More Restaurants
November 20, 2020
https://thespoon.tech/kea-raises-10m-to-bring-its-ai-based-phone-system-to-more-restaurants/

Kea, which makes an AI-powered virtual phone assistant for restaurants, has raised a $10 million Series A round of funding. TechCrunch was first to report on the round, which was led by Marbruck, with Streamlined Ventures, Xfund, Heartland Ventures, DEEPCORE, Barrel Ventures and AVG Funds, as well as other angel investors participating. This brings the total amount raised by Kea to $17 million.

Basically, Kea is building an automated way for restaurants to answer the phone. The natural language processing software can hold a “conversation” with a customer to take and process their order. You can hear a demo of how it works on the Kea website.
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As TechCrunch points out, many restaurants are understaffed and don’t always have a dedicated person to work the phones and take orders.

Kea is among a wave of natural language customer interaction systems coming to market. Google famously made news a couple years back with its Duplex AI-powered voice assistant for consumers to make automated restaurant reservations that sounded almost too human. Google also developed the CallJoy virtual phone assistant for small business owners.
Clinc’s technology brings natural language conversations to the drive-thru, while McDonald’s acquired Apprente last year to add more voice capabilities to its drive-thru.
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Kea told TechCrunch that its service is currently live in more than 250 restaurants including Papa John’s. With its new cash, the company is looking to be in 1,000 restaurants in 37 states next year.
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mood · Oct 28, 2021

McDonald's and IBM could bring AI-powered drive-thrus to more restaurants
Expect fewer humans taking your orders.
October 28, 2021
https://www.engadget.com/mcdonalds-ibm-ai-food-orders-131806578.html

McDonald's might not be the only restaurant experimenting with AI-based order taking in the near future. Restaurant Dive reports McDonald's is selling its McD Tech Labs to IBM in order to "further accelerate" work on its automated voice ordering systems. The deal will help apply the technology to a wider variety of countries, languages and menus, McDonald's said, while bolstering IBM's Watson-powered customer service offerings.

The deal is expected to close in December. McD Tech Labs will join IBM's Cloud & Cognitive Software team.
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McDonald's started testing AI drive-thru order taking in 10 Chicago-area restaurants in late spring.
CEO Chris Kempczinski said it would take more than a year or two to implement the technology on a broader scale, and indicated that McDonald's routinely bought companies (like the AI firm Apprente) for short stints before spinning them out with partners who can expand the technology — it clearly sees IBM as key to making AI drive-thrus a success, at McDonald's and elsewhere.
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