Employee interaction is getting renewed attention at fast-food companies, even as their automated ordering systems keep expanding. A Fortune report cited in the coverage said 80% of diners would choose a person over an artificial intelligence system when placing an order.
Burger King is modifying some restaurant designs to make contact with employees more visible. President Tom Curtis told The Wall Street Journal that customers want to encounter a friendly person, adding that the company must respond as human interaction becomes less common in fast food.
Planned steps at McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks and Wendy’s include livelier greetings, keeping counter workers available for complaints and having employees confirm orders are accurate.
The changes follow years of automation. McDonald’s added in-store kiosks in 2016, and Wendy’s launched its FreshAI drive-thru program in 2023. McDonald’s later added ArchIQ, an artificial intelligence drive-thru chatbot, through its McDonald’s > NEXT initiative earlier this year.
Wendy’s continues to put money into digital ordering, according to comments by Chief Financial Officer Ken Cook cited by Fortune. Portillo’s, the Chicago-based chain, has workers take drive-thru orders outside, and baristas have trained employees in customer conversation. The Independent, citing The Wall Street Journal, and Fortune reported on the broader changes.
