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Wendy’s is employing AI bots at its drive-thrus — and customers have mixed feelings about it.
The CEO of Wendy’s, Kirk Tanner, discussed the company’s move to use AI to take drive-thru orders during an earnings call last Thursday. According to Tanner, there are 100 U.S. Wendy’s restaurants, including the flagship one in Columbus, Ohio, that are using AI at the drive-thrus, and he’s “really liking the results.”
Tanner explained that the AI order taker — dubbed FreshAI — will continue to expand, with 500 to 600 restaurants expected to have the system by the end of 2025. Nationwide, Wendy’s has more than 6,700 restaurants.
During the call, Tanner said he’s tested the AI system himself nearly four times a week, and the experience is “exceptional.” He said the one thing he could share about the drive-thru add-on is that it is enhancing sales.
“It gives customers the opportunity to build their orders,” he said. “It understands what to ask for and the accuracy definitely is improving.”
He claimed that once 500 Wendy’s restaurants are using FreshAI, it created a “real strong proof point” that it should be brought to the rest of the U.S. stores.
“It’s something that we’re really excited about,” he concluded. “It’s got a bright future, and we’re moving forward.”
When the news was shared on a Wendy’s Reddit thread, some customers shared their hesitations about the new technology and recalled some bad experiences they’d had.
“Welp time to not eat at Wendy’s anymore,” one responded to a post about FreshAI.
“Had this happen at Taco Bell a few days ago,” another added. “Had to ask for a real person because the damn thing couldn’t understand me (average midwesterner). Nobody answered.”
“The AI order takers are garbage and get the order wrong so often I’ve had to have an employee start taking my order instead because it was so bad,” a third agreed.
However, other people said they weren’t surprised about AI bots taking drive-thru orders and didn’t have an issue with it.
“Sad to say this but AI drive-thru is way better than with real people,” one Reddit user wrote, while another responded: “Agreed. Most folks just kinda mesh all words into one when they’re taking my order. I can never quite understand what they’re saying.”
“Once the tech is better, this should be a good thing,” a third wrote. “It’s hard to hear people sometimes. I have a lot of trouble with any accent other than my own.”
Wendy’s first introduced FreshAI in 2023 after the fast-food chain created its partnership with Google Cloud. According to a press release at the time, the AI system was a part of Wendy’s larger goal: “Focusing on quality and meeting our customers where and how they want to order their Wendy’s favorites.”
The company also said that FreshAI is more than just a speaker and microphone, noting that the system gives a “personalized, responsive experience” for all of Wendy’s customers.
“We measure success by real-world results: orders submitted without human intervention and a consistent experience at the drive-thru,” the company said. “After all, in the end, it’s all about delivering an unmatched experience for both our crew and our customers.”
Wendy’s also made it clear that FreshAI is an assistant, and not a replacement, for Wendy’s workers who are managing the drive-thru at restaurants.
“Wendy’s FreshAI allows our crew to focus on what matters most: preparing and serving hot and delicious food customized for our fans and building the relationships that bring them back,” the company stated in the 2023 press release.
In February 2024, Wendy’s hinted that it was officially in the works of making technological advancements, including the AI order-takers.
“Beginning as early as 2025, we will begin testing a variety of enhanced features on these digital menu boards like dynamic pricing, different offerings in certain parts of the day, AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling based on factors such as weather,” a spokesperson for the chain said at the time.
