June 17, 2024 McDonald’s has decided to halt its AI drive-thru ordering partnership with IBM. The company announced to its franchisees that the program will end no later than July 26th, 2024. This decision affects over 100 restaurants where the AI chatbot system was being tested.

McDonald’s began its partnership with IBM in 2021 to test AI-driven voice ordering at drive-thrus. The aim was to see if the technology could speed up service. Despite ending the current partnership, McDonald’s remains confident that voice-ordering solutions will be part of their future.

There are hints that McDonald’s might explore other partnerships for AI solutions. In December, McDonald’s announced a vague deal with Google. Bloomberg reported that this deal included a chatbot named “Ask Pickles,” which employees could use for guidance on various tasks like cleaning ice cream machines. Google is already working with Wendy’s, which has been testing AI-based drive-thru orders since last year and has expanded the trial.

Fast food chains are increasingly adopting AI technologies. Wendy’s, White Castle, Carl’s Jr., and Hardee’s are among those testing AI drive-thru systems. Some of these systems, like the one used by Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, rely on remote human workers to support the AI.

McDonald’s is not limiting its automation efforts to drive-thrus. The company has also been implementing mobile ordering, in-store kiosks, drone deliveries, kitchen robots, and AI-based hiring tools.

While McDonald’s is ending its current AI drive-thru ordering test with IBM, it remains committed to incorporating voice-ordering solutions in the future. The fast-food giant is exploring other partnerships and continues to embrace automation to improve efficiency and service.