Technology
Wendy’s expands AI drive-thru with Spanish language pilot
August 9, 2024
Wendy's is continuing to innovate its drive-thru experience with the expansion of its AI assistant, Wendy's FreshAI. The fast-food chain has introduced a pilot program offering Spanish language capabilities at 28 company-operated restaurants in Ohio and Florida, according to a press release.
The new feature aims to enhance both crew and customer experiences by providing better accessibility for Spanish-speaking customers. While still in development, the AI technology is designed to improve language comprehension and order processing.
"We've embraced generative AI at the drive-thru to assist Wendy's crew members while evolving the technology to meet our customers' needs," Matt Spessard, CIO, Wendy's, said in the press release. I'm energized by our partnership with Google Cloud to continue pushing this technology forward with new Spanish language capabilities designed to expand access, reshaping the drive-thru experience for our Wendy's fans today and in the future."
Wendy's FreshAI is powered by Google Cloud's large language model and offers a personalized, responsive experience for every customer. To begin a Spanish order, the customer says "Spanish" or "Español" into the microphone to prompt the new pilot language. The Wendy's FreshAI system will then speak and process in the full order exclusively in Spanish.
