Technology

Dairy Queen partners with Presto to bring Voice AI to drive-thrus

Image: Dairy Queen

April 21, 2026

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American Dairy Queen Corp. has partnered with Presto to implement Voice AI technology in its drive-thru lanes, following a successful test at corporate-owned locations, according to a press release.

The company is now expanding the pilot program to select franchisees across the country. The initiative aims to improve order accuracy and streamline staffing by automating the ordering process.

"We're committed to delivering an exceptional experience to our Fans and our staff, and we believe Presto can help us delight them even more. Presto has been an excellent partner and our initial results using their AI look quite promising," Kevin Baartman, EVP of IT at Dairy Queen, said in the press release. "With Presto's AI, we can enable our staff to focus on high-value tasks that ultimately benefit our Fans, with a friendly experience, and high order accuracy. We look forward to working with select franchisee partners as we expand our engagement."

The partnership includes menu integrations and an emphasis on maintaining a smooth customer experience.

"Dairy Queen is an iconic American company with visionary leadership and a seminal role in the fabric of towns across the US and Canada. We've been thrilled to partner closely with their team to optimize the last mile of AI deployment, including complex menu integrations, friendly voices, and a smooth human-AI waltz that just works," Krishna Gupta, CEO of Presto, added in the press release. "We have an ambitious joint AI vision, and I'm excited to continue expanding our reach for all the DQ fans out there — happy tastes good!"

There are more than 7,700 DQ restaurants in more than 20 countries.

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