A major fast-food chain that introduced a voice-controlled AI ordering system to its drive-thrus is rethinking how it uses AI.

Fast food chain Taco Bell is introducing a voice AI ordering system at the drive-thrus of more than 500 stores starting in 2024. However, not all customers are happy to interact with AI at the drive-thrus, and Taco Bell is reconsidering how it uses AI, according to testimony from Dane Matthews, the company's Chief Digital Technology Officer.

Taco Bell Rethinks Future of Voice AI at the Drive-Through - WSJ
https://www.wsj.com/articles/taco-bell-rethinks-future-of-voice-ai-at-the-drive-through-72990b5a

Taco Bell is having second thoughts about relying on AI at the drive-through | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/30/taco-bell-is-having-second-thoughts-about-relying-on-ai-at-the-drive-through/

At the time of writing, Taco Bell has introduced a voice-activated AI ordering system at over 500 drive-thrus. However, there have been numerous posts on social media complaining about glitches and slow response times with Taco Bell's voice-activated AI ordering system.

Apparently, some people are trying to disrupt the voice AI ordering system by making unreasonable requests such as 'I want 18,000 cups of water, please.'

How to Bypass AI #shorts #funny #ai credit: officialbradhuber - YouTube


Matthews, Taco Bell's Chief Digital Technology Officer, said of the voice AI ordering system that Taco Bell has introduced to its drive-thrus, 'I'll be honest, we're learning a lot about voice AI. Like you, sometimes it's frustrating, but sometimes it's really surprising.'

Matthews said Taco Bell is currently carefully considering where to use voice AI in the future and where not. He said it might not necessarily make sense to use AI exclusively in all drive-thrus. He also pointed out that in 'very busy locations with long lines,' a human staff member might be better able to respond.

The Wall Street Journal reports, 'It's the latest sign that, nearly three years into the generative AI boom, companies are still experimenting. Many companies have faith in AI's potential, but as they understand where the technology actually works and where it doesn't, they're shifting and overhauling their AI strategies.'

The use of voice AI in drive-thrus is a particularly difficult case to realize. McDonald's partnered with IBM to introduce an AI chatbot to its drive-thrus, but removed the AI chatbot in June 2024. Then, in early 2025, McDonald's Chief Information Officer Brian Rice told the Wall Street Journal that the company was working with Google Cloud to develop a new AI drive-thru ordering system. .

McDonald's removes AI chatbot introduced in partnership with IBM to take drive-thru orders - GIGAZINE

Wendy's has also announced the expansion of its drive-thru assistant, Wendy's Fresh AI, which is based on Google technology.

Wendy's announces 'Wendy's Fresh AI' to automate drive-thrus with Google's generative AI - GIGAZINE

Taco Bell's parent company, Yum! Brands, has also been working for years to use AI in its drive-thru ordering system, and has announced a partnership with NVIDIA to advance this effort.

Taco Bell is still developing its voice AI, and it remains a key part of its product roadmap, but questions remain about what exactly Taco Bell wants from the technology and how it will build the foundation for human staff to join in, The Wall Street Journal noted.

Matthews said the company will work with stores to help them find solutions, citing specific examples: 'We'll be guiding our teams to recommend that stores use voice AI in these situations, or actually monitor the voice AI and intervene if necessary.'

Taco Bell is still formulating specific plans as it analyzes the more than 2 million customer order data that its AI has acquired to date. Matthews said, 'We're having very active discussions internally with our franchisees. Ultimately, I think we're still in the really, really early stages. We feel that way, and I think other brands feel the same way.'