Taco Bell is rolling out AI ordering in hundreds of drive-thrus. Here's how it works

ZDnet ^ | 8/1/24 | Artie Beaty, Contributing Writer

[DallasBiff]

AI technology is coming to Taco Bell, hopefully freeing up employees to lessen your wait time and provide better service.

[CodeToad]

If employees are too stupid to handle a simple order, I don’t want them making my food.

[cyclotic]

Not interested.

[drwoof]

Dreary color schemes are a reflection of dreary minds in our people.

[sonova]

Toxic Shell

[DPMD]

Freeing up employees.

This is the inevitable answer to government forcing business decisions on business, most recently the law requiring $20 per hour minimum wage.

People with absolutely no business experience or acumen have no standing to regulate business. Besides, who in their constituencies are they representing with this form of tyranny?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

AI technology is coming to Taco Bell, hopefully freeing up employees to lessen your wait time and provide better service.

Taco Bell is not rolling this out to "lessen your wait time and provide better service". They are rolling this out to deal with government-mandated minimum wage hikes. That's the practical effect of government meddling with wages - unemployment and spurring the growth of AI and robotics.

[Dr. Sivana]

weird how taco bell became a sort of touchstone for western civilization.

And that is how they will win the Franchise Wars. (Demolition Man)

I wonder how they AI will handle my order of a Bellbeefer, seven layer burrito, Meximelt, caramel empanada, and medium Teem?

[Carriage Hill]

Heh.

[Leaning Right]

> McDonald’s uses touchscreen ordering systems in Spain and the USA. <

I tried one in my neck of the woods (not Spain). Maybe it’s because I’m an old guy, but it was like programming a rocket to go to Jupiter.

No thanks.

[TexasGator]

“No person, no order.”

Why?

[Openurmind]

Yep, no person no order. If we don’t boycott this stuff it will be the ruin of us.

[Carriage Hill]

I don’t own a single “Smartypants” appliance (I have an old Flip-Phone), so I’ll take that order... well, maybe not.

[TexasGator]

“If employees are too stupid to handle a simple order, I don’t want them making my food.”

The order taker does not make the food.

[RummyChick]

the only place around me that gets really long lines is Chik Fil A. I do see semi long lines at Starbucks in the morning.

Taco Bell? Never.

[Carriage Hill]

On the few times I’ve been to Mickey-Ds, I’ve never seen a touchscreen there.

[TexasGator]

"Yep, no person no order. If we don’t boycott this stuff it will be the ruin of us."

[xoxox]

Had to check that, John Spartan, it's been so long.

[mabarker1]

I miss the days of old in Jr High/Sr High Friday and Saturday nights going to Jack-in-the-Box for Super Tacos- the perfect greasy gut bomb. IIRC they were $0.89 back then.

Just found this: https://www.food.com/recipe/jack-in-the-box-beef-tacos-copycat-433674

Looks and sounds like the original.

[no-to-illegals]

Can’t talk to a machine and special order ……

[steve86]

There is only one McD within hundreds of miles of here that doesn't have a touchscreen and that it because it is scheduled for a major remodel so they didn't bother with the kiosk installation yet.