“And how much would that cost to the fast food owners?”
CHEAP!!! AI tools can be run on cheap computers and even mini computers like Raspberry Pi (About $40). If one makes their own tools with open source AI bots it won’t cost must at all. I use AI to program my cheap arduinos and PLC programs. What takes my hours takes AI minutes.
I dabbled in fast food automation but, unfortunately, the big guys are keeping it in house and will most likely lease or rent the systems to the franchise owners.
It makes sense to rent or lease that kind of system. It will need regular updating and the ROI as a capital investment would not make sense. It's more of a "cloud" model. Rent a small part of a huge resource only as long as needed.