Taco Bell is expanding AI drive-thru to hundreds of U.S. locations

Taco Bell is expanding its use of voice AI technology to include hundreds of the Mexican-themed chain's drive-thru locations by the end of the year, parent company Yum Brands said on Wednesday. 

Already in use at roughly 100 Taco Bell eateries in 13 states, the company's rollout plans come after testing the technology for about two years. Benefits include improved order accuracy, cutting wait times and "providing a consistent, friendly experience," according to the company, which operates 7,400 stores across the U.S. 

"With over two years of fine-tuning and testing the drive-thru voice AI technology, we're confident in its effectiveness in optimizing operations and enhancing customer satisfaction," Lawrence Kim, Yum's chief innovation officer, stated in a news release. 

KFC, also owned by Yum, is trying out the technology in five locations in Australia, the statement noted.

Last year, Yum's digital sales approached $30 billion, with more than 50% coming through digital channels as of the first quarter of 2024, according to the company, which added that its digital business has more than doubled since 2019. 

Taco Bell's move to broaden its AI footprint comes as a big-name competitor encountered difficulties deploying automated voice ordering in a pilot run in partnership with IBM. 

McDonald's last month said it was pulling the plug on the AI ordering technology the fast-food chain had been testing at more than 100 U.S. drive-thrus in the wake of customer complaints about orders. One of multiple viral videos showed an AI cashier mistakenly adding nine sweet teas to a TikTok user's order.