July 15, 2024
AI voice assistants are changing fast-food restaurants. Here's what you need to know:
BenefitDescriptionSpeedOrders taken in 2 minutes vs 3 minutes by humansAccuracy95% correct orders vs 90% for human staffPersonalizationRemembers past orders and preferencesUpsellingSuggests additional items based on order history
While AI assistants are good at taking orders, they still have some problems:
As the technology improves, we'll likely see more AI voice assistants in fast-food restaurants, helping with orders, customer service, and even inventory management.
This section explains how we studied AI voice assistants in QSRs. We used different ways to gather information and understand their impact on customer service.
We used three main types of studies:
We gathered information in two ways:
TypeDescriptionNew dataWe did surveys, case studies, and talked to QSR staff and expertsExisting dataWe looked at reports and studies that were already available
Here's a quick look at our research:
AspectDetailsNumber of QSR customers surveyed500Number of QSR representatives20Time spent on research6 months
We chose these numbers to get a good mix of different people and QSR types. The six-month period helped us see how AI voice assistants are used now and what might happen in the future.
Many fast-food restaurants now use AI-powered voice systems to help customers order food. These systems aim to make ordering faster and more accurate.
Several big fast-food chains have started using voice AI:
CompanyVoice AI UseDomino'sAI-powered drive-thruWhite CastleAI-powered drive-thruJet's PizzaAI-powered drive-thruMcDonald'sTesting AI voice ordering
Most customers like using voice AI:
But some customers worry about:
These companies make voice AI for fast-food restaurants:
CompanyWhat They OfferConverseNowAI voice assistantsPresto AutomationDrive-thru AI solutionsSoundHoundVoice AI technology
These companies keep working to make their voice AI better for use in fast-food restaurants.
AI voice assistants in fast food restaurants offer several benefits:
AI voice assistants help reduce mistakes in orders. This means:
AI systems make ordering faster:
This leads to:
AI remembers what customers like:
FeatureBenefitRemembers past ordersSuggests items customers might likeAnalyzes customer dataCreates targeted marketingOffers tailored promotionsImproves customer engagement
These features help keep customers coming back.
AI can help sell more:
This helps restaurants make more money and stay competitive.
AI voice assistants in QSRs have some issues to think about:
AI can have trouble understanding people, especially:
This can lead to wrong orders and unhappy customers.
Putting AI into current systems can be hard:
ChallengeImpactComplex setupTakes time and moneyStaff trainingNeeds extra effortSystem changesMay disrupt work
Using AI means handling customer info. QSRs must:
Setting up AI costs money. QSRs need to think about:
CostsBenefitsBuying AI systemsFaster serviceTraining staffFewer mistakesOngoing upkeepMore sales
QSRs should check if the benefits are worth the costs before using AI.
AI voice assistants will change how fast-food restaurants work. These changes will affect staff, training, and restaurant layout.
AI voice assistants might mean fewer workers are needed:
ImpactDetailsFewer staffAI can take orders, so fewer people are neededCost savingsRestaurants might spend less on wagesDifferent jobsWorkers will do different tasks with AI help
People will still be needed to help with hard questions and make sure customers are happy.
Workers will need to learn new skills:
This training will help workers use AI to serve customers better.
Restaurants might need to change how they look inside:
AreaPossible ChangesDrive-thruNew design for AI orderingInside spaceRoom for AI equipmentKitchenNew screens to show AI orders
These changes will help the AI work well with how the restaurant already runs.
Studies show many customers like the idea of AI voice assistants in fast food restaurants:
Survey FindingPercentageOpen to AI voice assistants in drive-thrusOver 70%Open to AI in fast food restaurants71%Want AI to lower menu prices43%Want AI to speed up ordering42%
Customers are okay with AI if it means faster service and shorter wait times.
Not everyone feels the same about AI voice assistants:
Customers like AI voice assistants that:
People are more likely to use AI if it's simple and works well.
AI voice assistants in fast food restaurants are likely to grow and change in the coming years. Here's what we might see:
AI voice systems will get better at:
This will make ordering food easier and faster for customers.
More fast food places will start using AI voice assistants:
Current SituationFuture PredictionThousands of restaurants use AIMany more will add AIMostly big chains use AISmaller restaurants will start using AI
As AI gets cheaper and works better, more restaurants will use it.
AI voice assistants won't just take orders. They might also:
New UseHow It HelpsCustomer serviceAnswer questions about foodMarketingTell customers about dealsStock managementKeep track of food supplies
As AI gets smarter, restaurants will find new ways to use it to help customers and run their business better.
When looking at customer service in fast food restaurants, we need to think about AI voice assistants and human workers. Both have good and bad points.
What We MeasureAI Voice AssistantHuman WorkerGetting Orders Right95 out of 10090 out of 100How Fast2 minutes per order3 minutes per orderHow Happy Customers Are4.5 out of 54.2 out of 5
This table shows that AI is better at getting orders right and working faster. But people are still a bit better at making customers happy.
How to Use AIGood PointsBad PointsUse AI for EverythingWorks better, costs less over timeCosts a lot to start, need to teach workersUse AI for Some ThingsCosts less to start, easier to beginDoesn't help as much, might not work well with other systems
When deciding how to use AI voice assistants, restaurants need to think about these good and bad points. Using AI for everything can make things work better and save money in the long run, but it costs a lot to start and workers need to learn new things. Using AI for just some things is cheaper to start and easier to do, but it might not help as much and could have problems working with other parts of the restaurant.
AI voice assistants are changing how fast-food restaurants work and serve customers. They help make things better in several ways:
BenefitHow It HelpsMore accurate ordersFewer mistakes when taking ordersShorter wait timesCustomers get their food fasterPersonal touchRemembers what customers like
Many fast-food leaders (94%) think these AI helpers make customers happier.
As time goes on, more fast-food places will likely use AI voice assistants. Here's why:
AI voice assistants can also give restaurants useful information about what customers want. This helps them:
In short, AI voice assistants are making fast-food service better for both customers and restaurants. They're becoming a big part of how fast-food places will work in the future.
This article uses information from different sources:
SourceWhat They ProvidedPresto AutomationsInfo on AI chatbots for drive-thrusBernsteinResearch on AI in fast foodNVIDIAStudies on AI kiosks in restaurantsT.D. CowenPredictions about AI in drive-thrusFast food chainsReal-world use of AI ordering systems
These sources helped us understand:
We looked at reports from:
This mix of sources gives a good picture of AI voice assistants in fast food.
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