United StatesFood and restaurants2021–2024McDonald's
AI voice ordering at the drive-thru with IBM
McDonald's ended its AI drive-thru ordering test with IBM in over 100 restaurants after about two and a half years
Problem
Drive-thru orders are taken by restaurant staff who also handle other tasks during busy periods. McDonald's wanted to see whether automated voice ordering could simplify crew work and make ordering faster and more accurate.
Approach
McDonald's and IBM formed a partnership in October 2021, and an Automated Order Taker was tested in about 100 restaurants. McDonald's reportedly wanted order accuracy above 95% before a wider rollout, while a 2022 BTIG survey put accuracy in the low 80% range. In June 2024 a memo to franchisees said the system would be switched off no later than 26 July 2024.
Results
Takeaway
A 2022 BTIG survey reported accuracy below McDonald's stated rollout target; McDonald's ended the IBM test in 2024. McDonald's said it still expected voice ordering to be part of its restaurants' future and kept its wider partnership with IBM.
Categories
- Size
- Large enterprise
- Industry
- Food and restaurants
- Business function
- Customer serviceProduction and quality
- Innovation type
- Process innovation
- AI technology
- Conversational and voice AI
- Adoption
- Co-developed with a partner
- Evidence
- Company's own claim
Sources
Source summaries
Nation's Restaurant News reported that McDonald's confirmed it would end its Automated Order Taker test with IBM after about two and a half years in roughly 100 restaurants. It cites a 2022 BTIG report that put voice ordering accuracy in the low 80% range, against McDonald's aim of over 95% before broader adoption. McDonald's said IBM remains a trusted partner.
CNBC reported, citing a memo to franchisees, that the Automated Order Taker in more than 100 restaurants would be shut off no later than 26 July 2024. The global partnership began in 2021. McDonald's said in a statement that it was not ruling out AI drive-thru ordering in the future and that its work with IBM gave it confidence that voice ordering would be part of its future.
Full details are in the original sources.
