I visited my regular chicken spot yesterday, and they have started using this unexpected AI system for taking orders. It really caught me off guard because I wasn’t prepared for it at all. The experience felt quite different from what I’m used to. I’m wondering if anyone else has seen this trend at their nearby eateries. How does the AI system compare to ordering from a person? Is it quicker or slower? Does it comprehend you more effectively or less so than the human staff? I’m interested to know if this seems to be happening widely or if it’s just in my location. Has anyone else observed their go-to dining places switching to AI for order taking? What’s your opinion on this shift in the restaurant industry?
We tried this at my company’s cafeteria last year. The AI nails about 80% of orders but crashes when people want modifications or change their mind halfway through.
Customers need to learn how the system wants input. Say “large pepperoni pizza” instead of “can I get a pepperoni pizza, make it large please.” Most people get it after a few attempts.
Speed’s interesting - it’s not faster per order, but you don’t get bottlenecks since multiple people can order at different kiosks. No more waiting behind someone who can’t decide.
This is definitely spreading. McDonald’s is testing voice AI at drive-throughs, and chains are pushing kiosks hard. Labor shortages are driving adoption way faster than expected.
My take? Works fine for grab-and-go but kills the vibe at places where you want human interaction. Your chicken place probably did this to cut labor costs, not improve your experience.
Hit a burger place with AI ordering about two months ago. Pretty accurate with standard orders, but it got confused when I asked for extra sauce on the side or other custom stuff. Way faster than human cashiers though, especially during lunch rush when lines are crazy. Had to repeat myself twice because of my accent, which was annoying. Biggest loss is the personal connection - no staff remembering your usual order anymore. Seems like big chains are testing this at select spots before going wide. Works great for basic orders but falls apart with complicated requests.
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