Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) continues to be one of the more aggressive fast-foods chains in attempting to use generative AI technology in restaurants.
Earlier in the year, Wendy’s (WEN) announced an expansion of its partnership to create what it says is an industry-leading generative AI platform called Wendy’s FreshAI. Wendy‘s FreshAI was created to help overcome the challenges traditional AI could not solve in the drive-thru, including understanding casual conversation with customers and handling Wendy’s menu full of customizations and configurations. After months of testing Wendy’s FreshAI in the chain’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio, Wendy (WEN) said it has learned a lot while reimagining the drive-thru experience.
Unlike traditional rule-based systems, Wendy’s FreshAI uses generative AI to generate responses and adapt in real-time instead of just following a narrow set of rules. Wendy’s FreshAI is not just a speaker and a microphone – it’s a personalized, responsive experience for every customer. Considering there are more than 200 billion ways to order a Dave’s Double menu item, leveraging generative AI is noted to be a crucial piece of innovating the drive-thru experience for customers.
Success with Wendy’s FreshAI will be measured by real-world results for orders submitted without human intervention and providing a consistent experience for customers at the drive-thru. In the Columbus, test, Wendy’s FreshAI featured service times 22 seconds faster than the Columbus market average. The technology was said to help restaurant teams focus on preparing and completing orders to improved quality and speed. Wendy’s (WEN) FreshAI also had an accuracy success rate of nearly 86% without human intervention, and was close to 99% when a crew member joined the order conversation.
“We continue to work closely with our partners in operations and at the restaurant as we evolve Wendy’s FreshAI for our customers and crew while bringing more locations online. In fact, our Wendy’s technology and operations teams have spent thousands of hours working from the dining rooms of our restaurants to observe and talk to the crew and customers about their experience.”
Wendy’s (WEN) FreshAI is now active across four company restaurants in the Columbus, Ohio market, with more slated to be added through end of 2023 and into early 2024. The company is also offering opportunities for franchisees to pilot Wendy’s FreshAI in 2024. Looking ahead, Wendy’s FreshAI is expected to be brought into new channels, including the Wendy’s app, in-restaurant kiosks, mobile devices, smart home devices, and more.