If you’ve pulled into a Taco Bell lately, there’s a decent chance AI took your order. It might also be better at convincing you to add a drink than a human.
Voice AI now takes orders at more than 900 Taco Bell locations, and those stores are seeing about a 1.5% sales lift from bigger checks, according to Restaurant Business. Parent company Yum! Brands also reports a 6% jump in drive-thru satisfaction and better crew retention. One reason, TheStreet notes, is that an AI drive-thru never forgets to offer a side, even on a slammed Friday night. The chain plans to put the tech in more than 1,500 restaurants by the end of the year.
KFC is getting an upgrade as well. A new kitchen display system at U.S. locations has made drive-thru service 8% faster and cut refunds by 12%. Delivery drivers now wait 20 fewer seconds for orders.
“We expect AI to be transformative to the business,” Yum! CFO Ranjith Roy said on last week’s earnings call. The rollout hasn’t been flawless. Last year, the system went viral after a customer tried to order 18,000 cups of water.