Viral Video Unveils AI-Ordering Experience at Wendy's Drive-Thru; Here's What Netizens Think

In the past couple of years, AI has made its presence felt in every sector since it has been used to write academic papers, code and also for creating art. Now it has entered the fast food industry, with Wendy's integrating it into the drive-thru ordering process, and other chains watching closely. Now a Wendy's customer Brittany has addressed the curiosity about AI at the eatery through a video that has quickly gained popularity. She documented her experience at the drive-through where an AI (Artificial Intelligence) employee took her order. By Monday, the video, titled "AI taking over," had received over 467,000 likes and views. In the video, Brittany is greeted by an AI voice that says, "Welcome to Wendy's, what would you like?" as she approaches the ordering menu. The ordering page shows the consumer what the AI voice is asking them while displaying a microphone sign and closed captions in both Spanish and English.

Here's how Brittany's conversation with Wendy's new AI went:

Brittany: "Can I have a chocolate Frosty?"

AI Worker: "Which size for the chocolate Frosty?"

Brittany: "Medium."

AI Worker: "Can I get you anything else today?"

Brittany: "No, thank you."

AI Worker: "Great, please pull up to the next window."

As the ordering screen refreshes, a caption at the bottom reads, "VOICE AI ORDERING SESSION HAS ENDED. If you need to make a change or have questions please let a crew member know at the window."

Brittany captioned her video, "Nah fam. I'm not for this. I had to get back into line so I could record this."

In the comments section, viewers have mixed feelings regarding whether or not AI improves the fast food experience. The most liked comment under Brittany's video, with over 104,000 likes, says, "At least, it's polite and friendly. I'll take it!" However, a few other comments criticize the AI worker's abilities. "Nah, it's too slow for me," one says. "When I took orders in fast food, I could've had this order completed in less than 10 seconds while still being polite," another admits. One viewer points out, "Damn, that AI took someone's job at Wendy's."

Critics fear that although technology can speed up processes, it might also result in fewer jobs for people. For people struggling to make ends meet, jobs at establishments like Wendy's are often crucial. Wendy's decision to use AI raises concerns about striking the correct mix between technological advancement and job preservation.

Some users were optimistic and are looking forward to similar tech being integrated into drive-thrus at their nearby Wendy's.

Despite these concerns, Wendy's remains optimistic about the future of Fresh AI. To give customers a more tech savvy experience, they plan to integrate AI into various gadgets, such as phones and smart home systems.

Wendy's explains, "We developed Wendy's FreshAI to address the limitations of traditional AI in the drive-thru. This includes being able to understand casual conversations with customers and efficiently handle Wendy's menu, which is full of customizations and configurations." According to Restaurant Drive, this pilot program is a collaboration with Google's chatbot technology. It kicked off in May 2023 at four Wendy's locations, intending to allow franchise owners to test it across the country in 2024.

Follow Brittany on TikTok ( brittanyann_222 ) for more such content and videos.