The past 10 years in the fast-food industry have been a study in automation. McDonald’s rolled out in-store kiosks in 2016 for customers to use to place their orders instead of waiting in line for an employee at the counter. Wendy’s debuted an AI drive-thru system in 2023. Now the tide appears to be turning back to human interaction. “Customers want a friendly face,” said Burger King President Tom Curtis. “We have to lean in to that because that’s evaporating in the fast-food space.” While fast-food outlets have been quick to incorporate digital kiosks and AI drive-thru ordering, customers say they would rather deal with a human being. In fact, 80% of diners polled said they prefer ordering from a human over an AI agent. Chick-fil-A even took it a step further by sending staff out to take orders in lieu of the typical menu and speaker. Meanwhile, McDonald's and Burger King are both making a move toward a more human restaurant experience by getting rid of self-ordering kiosks and AI drive-thrus. They believe that a move toward a more human restaurant experience elevates key qualities that AI can’t offer, including accountability, judgment and observation. Technology can improve prep, reduce waste, and eliminate administrative work, but removing human interaction from the guest experience risks stripping away what fast-food restaurants are after: connection.
