Fast-food companies are adding employee interaction to ordering strategies as they continue developing automated systems. A Fortune report cited in the coverage found that 80% of diners would prefer ordering from a person rather than an artificial intelligence system.
McDonald’s installed in-store ordering kiosks in 2016. Wendy’s started its FreshAI drive-thru system in 2023, and McDonald’s launched the ArchIQ drive-thru chatbot earlier this year as part of its McDonald’s > NEXT initiative. Wendy’s Chief Financial Officer Ken Cook said the company is still investing in digital ordering, according to Fortune.
Burger King President Tom Curtis said customers want to encounter a friendly employee, and that the chain must adjust as personal interaction becomes rarer in fast food. Burger King is altering some layouts to highlight staff contact. McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks and Wendy’s also plan more energetic greetings, counter workers available for complaints and employee order checks, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Portillo’s, a Chicago-based chain, has workers take drive-thru orders outside and has used baristas to train employees in customer conversation. The Independent, citing The Wall Street Journal, and Fortune reported on the broader changes.
In California, counter and drive-thru jobs at fast-food chains with 60 or more locations nationwide carry a state minimum wage of at least $20 an hour, in effect since April 1, 2024. The state's general minimum wage is $16.90 an hour in 2026, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.
