Wendy's has partnered with Google to begin the deployment of AI chatbots for processing food orders from drive-through customers. According to New Atlas, these chatbots are programmed to understand "the entire menu," "including the street slang for certain orders, and it's capable of having conversations – within a set of 'guardrails' – as well as taking custom orders and answering questions."
The first chatbots will be deployed in Columbus, OH, where Wendy's is headquartered. Customers won't be told they are interacting with a bot.
Considering that around 80% of Wendy's customers prefer drive-through ordering to counter service, the successful implementation of these chatbots could lead to significant cost savings for Wendy's.
