Artificial intelligence (AI) is sweeping up a new industry: fast food. This technology has actually been used in restaurants for quite some time, especially to improve the customer experience and monitor spending. But now, AI-powered voice robots will take your orders.
In the United States, the fast-food chain Taco Bell recently announced that it was testing an AI-powered chatbot that takes orders from motorists. The voice robot could help the restaurant chain “potentially automate order taking,” according to Business Insider.
Also this year, the restaurant chains Popeyes and Panera Bread, still in the United States, have entered into partnerships with OpenCity, a start-up which offers an AI-based voice assistant for drive-thru services. His name is Tori, and he claims to improve ordering accuracy, reduce wait times, and increase food sales.
A correct order in 100% of cases
According to a Popeyes location that uses Tori, beverage sales have increased by 150% because Tori suggests high-margin products to customers. And restaurant owners sync Tori with their restaurant’s POS or kiosk system, eliminating the need for an employee to take and place orders.
Then the customer goes to the counter and receives their order, which according to OpenCity is 100% correct.
AI-powered voice robots like Tori will soon join other technologies used in fast food restaurants. Tori is a front desk ‘worker’, but other restaurant robots cook, clean and serve the food.
Customer Recommendations at Starbuck
Robotics and AI in the food industry are a direct result of a critical labor shortage in the United States, as restaurants across the country have hundreds of thousands fewer employees than there are. two years old, according to the US Department of Labor.
Other uses of AI in the restaurant industry include using computer vision to monitor drive-through efficiency. Companies like Plainsight offer their services to help restaurants limit lost revenue from customers leaving the drive-thru due to long wait times.
Companies like Starbucks already realized the financial value of adopting AI years ago, when they launched their mobile app in 2011. As the app grew, Starbucks integrated Deep Brew, its management system that personalizes recommendations to customers, eliminates tedious tasks for employees and gathers data to help create new products.
Reduce food costs and waste weight
Thanks to AI, restaurants can also reduce their waste, which allows them to reduce their food costs and the burden of their food waste on the environment. Companies like Winnow offer AI-powered software to help restaurants reduce food waste.
Winnow has thus created a kitchen tool called Winnow Vision which monitors food thrown in the trash and automatically collects this data. He then uses them to inform the kitchen staff of the amount of food wasted throughout the day. Eventually, the company claims that Winnow Vision will be fully automated and will reduce food waste by up to 70%.
Robotics and AI are increasingly integrating into the food industry, more than anyone might think. But, if these tools help us today to solve very real problems, shouldn’t we be concerned about the ease with which they are able to replace human workers?
Source: ZDNet.com