Taco Bell Rethinks Drive-Thru AI After Mixed Results

Taco Bell said it is rethinking the use of artificial intelligence at its drivethru windows after more than a year of testing produced viral mishaps, worker complaints, and mixed results. The fast food chain deployed voice-powered AI at more than 500 U.S. locations beginning in 2023 and says the system has handled roughly two million orders, but company officials acknowledge the technology has been error prone and easily manipulated, prompting a reassessment of when and how to use it.

Dane Mathews, Taco Bell's chief digital and technology officer, said the chain has "learned a lot" from the rollout and that the experiments have revealed limits to what AI can reliably do at noisy, fast-moving order boxes. "Sometimes it lets me down, but sometimes it really surprises me," he said, adding that there are moments, particularly during rushes, when a human is better suited to take orders. The company is discussing guidelines with franchisees about when voice AI should operate and when staff should monitor or take over.

Social media clips and employee posts have been central to the backlash. Videos viewed millions of times show the AI asking customers repeatedly what they want to drink...