Wendy’s Is Making a Big Change to Its Drive-Thrus—And You Might Not Be Happy About It
Ah, the Wendy’s drive-thru. If you’re a true Wendy’s fan, there’s nothing better than pulling up to the speaker and ordering a Frosty, large fries and whatever else you’re craving—well, maybe except pulling up to the next window to get the goods, of course. It’s one of those simple joys you can count on, no matter which Wendy’s location you visit.
But there’s a new change to Wendy’s drive-thrus that may have you seeing red, and we don’t mean just from Wendy’s signature red packaging. The fast-food chain’s latest update is a sign that apparently no company can resist the temptations of technology.
Keep reading to find out what’s going on at Wendy’s locations near you and what the internet has to say about it.
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What big change is hitting Wendy’s drive-thrus?
Instead of speaking with a Wendy’s employee to place your order at the drive-thru, you’ll instead be talking to a robot—technically, an AI voice-enabled ordering system. The new system, called Fresh AI, will replace human employees during the ordering phase of the drive-thru. Translation: If you want to ask a few questions about the newest Saucy Nuggs, you’re out of luck. That said, these drive-thrus will feature new digital menu boards to recommend additional menu items to customers, so that will help you with your order.
Will this affect all Wendy’s locations?
Not just yet. Last year, Wendy’s introduced Fresh AI’s voice-enabled ordering to nearly 100 of the country’s 6,000 Wendy’s restaurant locations. In 2025, that number will expand to 500 to 600 locations, according to Kirk Tanner, the current president and CEO of Wendy’s, who shared the news in a recent earnings call.
Over time, Wendy’s intends to roll out the new technology in more locations, but Tanner didn’t release further information on when that might happen.
What are Wendy’s fans saying about this?
As you may have guessed, not everyone is embracing the rise of the machines at Wendy’s. Over on Reddit, people lamented the loss of yet more jobs and complained about their less-than-stellar experiences with this type of AI. “Have you ever used one of the AI ordering things? They suck so badly,” wrote one Redditor. “You could be ordering a cheeseburger and Sprite and somehow it turns into 10 milkshakes with extra mustard 😭 I sure as hell hope they don’t become the new normal.” Others noted the problems with AI not being able to customize orders properly and not understanding people’s accents. Some even said they would no longer eat at Wendy’s if this became the norm.
Not everyone was so negative about the changes, though. One Reddit comment noted, “AI drive-thru is way better than with real people,” while another replied, “I prefer it to someone cutting me off, having attitude, and then not getting my order right anyway.” Plus, as another user noted: Automation is the norm in Japan and has been for years, so it’s been a long time coming in America.
What prompted this change?
It’s disingenuous to say that this isn’t about money—humans need to get paid for their labor, after all, and this sort of automation likely translates to significant savings. That said, Wendy’s is highlighting the increased efficiency and improved customer service that it says will result from these changes.
According to Tanner, the new “technology simplifies ordering and frees up crew members to focus on quality and accuracy.” With less time spent taking orders, Wendy’s employees can prioritize customer service and make sure every customer leaves happy with exactly what they ordered.
Will we start seeing this at other fast-food chains too?
Wendy’s isn’t the first fast-food chain to implement AI voice-enabled ordering. McDonald’s recently experimented with AI drive-thru ordering at 100 restaurants, but it pulled the plug on the system in the middle of last year. While it will likely return in the future, no plans have been announced just yet. “They had one at McDonald’s and I kept saying ‘No Sauce’ when it asked what kind I wanted,” said one Reddit user of its short-lived test run. “Well, I ended up with 8 coffees on the screen.” Suffice to say, there were … technical difficulties.
Taco Bell has also started implementing AI ordering at its drive-thrus. As of 2024, Taco Bell already had more than 100 locations across 13 states trying out this type of AI voice technology to take orders.
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Sources:
- The Motley Fool: “Wendy’s (WEN) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Transcript”
- Reddit: “AI will take your drive-thru order at more Wendy’s restaurants this year”
- CNN: “McDonald’s pulls AI ordering from drive-thrus — for now”
- USA Today: “AI might take your next Taco Bell drive-thru order as artificial intelligence expands”
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