Taco Bell is facing challenges in its initiative to integrate AI voice assistants at numerous drive-thrus. Dane Mathews, the chain’s chief digital and technology officer, recently shared insights with The Wall Street Journal that the company is reassessing its strategy for deploying this technology. Customer feedback, particularly on social media platforms, has highlighted frustrations, with some users even posting humorous attempts to exploit the system, such as ordering excessive numbers of water cups.
Mathews remarked, “We’re learning a lot, I’m going to be honest with you. I think like everybody, sometimes it lets me down, but sometimes it really surprises me.”
Since the announcement of its AI drive-thru plans last year, Taco Bell has implemented this technology in over 500 locations across the United States, as reported by WSJ. Competitors like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and White Castle are also experimenting with AI in their services.
Mathews has indicated that while Taco Bell is committed to moving forward with AI voice technology and analyzing performance data, he has realized that its use in specific contexts, such as high-traffic drive-thrus, may not always be effective.
