Wendy’s plans to add more AI ordering assistants to restaurants nationwide

Wendy’s plans to expand its “voice-enabled AI order taking” at up to 600 restaurants nationwide by the end of the year, CEO Kirk Tanner confirmed during a recent earnings call.

The burger chain currently uses its AI voice assistant, which it began testing in 2023, in around 100 Wendy’s locations.

Tanner said he has personally tested out the ordering assistant, a collaboration with Google Cloud known as Fresh AI, each week at a Wendy’s location near the company’s headquarters in Dublin, Ohio.

“I put it to the test almost three or four times a week and the experience is exceptional,” Tanner said during the Q&A portion of the call. “It drives sales as well. It gives customers the opportunity to build their orders, it understands what to ask for, and the accuracy, it’s definitely improving.”

Tanner also mentioned that Wendy’s could incorporate Fresh AI into the “rest of the system” if the latest rollout is successful. The company is also looking to implement more digital menu boards and kiosks, freeing crew members to work on quality and accuracy.

Still, reaction to the news has been mixed among Wendy’s customers, as detailed in a subreddit for the company. Some are happy about the expansion and express positive experiences with AI ordering, while others say the technology gets their orders wrong more often than not.

Like Wendy’s, other fast-food companies, such as McDonald’s, Checkers and Rally’s, and Burger King, have tested or implemented AI ordering systems.