Fast food chain Wendy's expanded its partnership with Google Cloud and introduced FreshAI which will serve the customers through driver-thru.
Wendy's FreshAI
Earlier this year, Wendy's announced the pilot testing for the FreshAI. The drive-thru AI assistant is currently active in four company-operated restaurants in Columbus, Ohio. More branches across the U.S. are expected to start using it soon.
"We created Wendy's FreshAI to overcome the challenges traditional AI could not solve in the drive-thru, including understanding casual conversation with customers and handling Wendy's menu full of customizations and configurations," the company wrote.
FreshAI is a personalized responsive experience for every customer. Using generative AI, it can generate responses and adapt in real-time, proving it to be more than just a traditional drive-thru with a speaker and a microphone.
Wendy's FreshAI to Boost Customer, Crew Experiences
According to Wendy's, the fast food chain will measure its success through speed and accuracy. During its pilot testing, the service showed a speed that is 22 times faster than the Columbus market average. This will allow the team to focus on preparing and completing orders faster.
Most importantly, the FreshAI boasted a success rate of nearly 99%. The pilot was able to perform without any restaurant team member intervention with an average of 86%.
Regardless, the company assured that the AI is merely an assistant and not a replacement. "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 added.
Other franchisees are encouraged to pilot Wendy's FreshAI in 2024. Meanwhile, existing branches are expected to experience AI assistance by the end of 2023 and early 2024.
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