In 2021, McDonald’s became one of the first major fast-food chains to introduce AI chatbots at the drive-thru. Since then, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and others have followed suit, deploying voice-ordering technology in an effort to speed up service and reduce human workload.

Despite the promise of efficiency, customer satisfaction remains mixed. A January 2025 survey by YouGov found that 55% of Americans would prefer a human taking their order at the drive-thru. Frustration with AI chatbots has led some chains to reevaluate their strategies.

Fast-food giants are now exploring other uses for AI, such as predictive maintenance and dynamic menu boards tailored to customer traffic. But don’t expect to completely ditch those pesky voice assistants just yet; they’re here to stay—sometimes with a little human help under the hood.