Taco Bell reconsiders AI ordering at drive-throughs after major snag

Taco Bell is rethinking the future of AI-powered drive-through ordering after hitting major system glitches.

The decision came on the heels of a man crashing the system after ordering 18,000 water cups. The internet is also flooded with customers’ complaints and online trolling related to order mistakes.

In one video posted on X, the AI voice was seen repeatedly asking the customer to add more drinks into the order.

Given the major setback, the fast food chain is reconsidering the merger of AI with drive-thru restaurants.

Talking to Wall Street Journal, Taco Bell Chief Digital and Technology Officer Dane Mathews said, “ We are learning a lot. I am going to be honest with you. I think, like everybody, sometimes it lets me down but sometimes it really surprises me.”

Mathews also admitted the supremacy of humans over technology in taking and serving orders. "We'll help coach teams on when to use voice AI and when it's better to monitor or step in," he said.

Since 2023, the fast food restaurant chain has rolled out AI voice technology at over 500 drive-throughs locations in the US, aiming to speed up orders and reduce the chances of error.

It is not the first time that a technology misperceived customers’ orders at drive-throughs. 

Last year, McDonald revoked the use of an AI-powered ordering system at drive-throughs when the technology mistakenly added bacon to customer’s ice cream through misinterpretation of order.