Technology is constantly evolving for restaurant operators, and as new technologies in AI emerge, many QSRs are pivoting to incorporate the latest innovation. In today’s competitive marketplace, operators who listen to the needs of their customers and adapt to prioritize simplicity, personalization, add value, may have an advantage over the competition.
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Starbucks is moving ahead with tech that boosts personalization in a creative way, introducing a beta app in ChatGPT, allowing customers to enter prompts to help discover new drinks that fit their “vibe.” Once that has been completed, ChatGPT will suggest a drink and the user then selects their preferred Starbucks location, so they can customize their order and complete the check out process in the Starbucks app or on Starbucks.com.
Similarly, Little Caesars is launching a ChatGPT feature which allows customers to customize and place pizza orders before completing the order on the mobile app. This step seems to be in the interest of simplifying the ordering process for customers, allowing them to simply describe what they want, from “pizza for four under $30” or a “vegetarian-friendly meal,” and they receive tailored suggestions instantly. The system even considers dietary restrictions, allergies, and past behavior to refine recommendations, becoming more accurate the more customers use the feature.
Dairy Queen locations in the Unites States have partnered with Presto on Voice AI to focus on the drive-thru. “With Presto’s AI, we can enable our staff to focus on high-value tasks that ultimately benefit our Fans, with a friendly experience, and high order accuracy. We look forward to working with select franchisee partners as we expand our engagement,” said Kevin Baartman, EVP of IT at Dairy Queen.
Chipotle has started to use AI technology to streamline the hiring process. The company hires up to 10,000 employees per year and has begun to use a bot, named Ava Cado, for the application stage. The tech asks applicants questions about themselves, informs them about the job they’re applying for, and should they wish to proceed, schedules an interview. In addition to bots in the hiring process, Chipotle is also using robots to make tortilla chips, and to peel, pit, and slice avocadoes.
From ordering kiosks and web chatbots to ordering through AI, restaurant technology continues to allow operators to streamline operations, increase ordering speed, and provide for more customization for diners.
