Dairy Queen Launches AI-Powered Drive-Thru Ordering Chatbots at Select North American Restaurants
Dairy Queen is partnering with Presto to implement voice AI chatbots in drive-thrus across the US and Canada, aiming to speed up ordering, increase average order value through upselling, and alleviate peak-hour pressure. While testing has shown around 90% accuracy, the system may still rely on remote human assistance for complex orders.
Dairy Queen’s large-scale implementation of this technology comes from Presto, a company specializing in restaurant voice AI. Presto has previously collaborated with chains like Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Taco John’s, and Fazoli’s to deploy similar systems in their drive-thrus. However, a Bloomberg report in 2023 revealed that Presto’s “AI Drive-Thru” may still involve overseas human employees, such as remote workers from the Philippines, assisting with complex or difficult-to-recognize orders.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Presto’s voice chatbot system has an order recognition and processing accuracy rate of approximately 90% in drive-thru scenarios, with about 10% of orders still requiring human intervention or correction. Dairy Queen Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Kevin Baartman stated that the company stress-tested the AI system during a free ice cream cone promotion, when traffic and order volume surged. “The robot handled an entire line of cars and didn’t get frustrated like a human would.”
Dairy Queen has not disclosed which specific locations will deploy the system, stating only that it will selectively launch AI drive-thru ordering services at franchise locations in the US and Canada. Future expansion will depend on operational performance and customer feedback. Industry observers point out that, against the backdrop of rising labor costs, recruitment difficulties, and continued peak-hour service pressure, voice AI is becoming a key area of exploration for fast-food chains seeking automation.
In fact, Dairy Queen is not the first fast-food brand to experiment with AI drive-thru ordering. As early as 2023, Wendy’s began collaborating with Google to test an AI drive-thru ordering system powered by large language models, aiming to simplify the ordering process through more natural conversation. McDonald’s also partnered with IBM to briefly pilot a chatbot drive-thru service at some locations before ending the test and evaluating its next steps.
The progress of similar projects at other brands has not been smooth. Last year, a Taco Bell executive stated that the brand would reassess the rollout of its AI drive-thru, as some customers expressed dissatisfaction with system failures and the interaction experience, while others attempted to test and disrupt the AI with pranks. Meanwhile, Burger King’s AI application path is slightly different: in addition to testing AI drive-thru ordering at fewer than 100 restaurants, it has also built a chat assistant into employee headsets to measure employee “friendliness” towards customers and provide assistance during food preparation.
Overall, the fast-food industry is accelerating the introduction of AI technology, with diverse application forms ranging from voice ordering to employee assistance tools. However, there are still widespread debates regarding accuracy, customer experience, privacy, and employee management. Dairy Queen’s partnership with Presto will be an important case study for observing the commercial viability and social acceptance of AI in drive-thru scenarios, and its subsequent performance may influence the choices and balance between automation and human service at more chain brands.