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Wendy’s is speedrunning its way to a tech-first reality with the rollout of its generative AI system, Wendyâs FreshAIâą. This move is designed to level up both customer and crew experiences, simplifying the ordering process while cranking up service efficiency.
No more âuhh, can you repeat that?â moments.
The fast-food giant has now set its sights on trimming drive-thru wait times by a whole 22 seconds, thanks to this AI-powered system. Speaking with The U.S. Sun, a Wendyâs spokesperson claimed the brand is leading the pack when it comes to speed and customer satisfaction.
Importantly, Wendyâs has clarified that FreshAI is designed to be an âassistantânot a replacementâ for its human crew members.
But, naturally, the internet had thoughts. Social media users couldnât resist roasting the initiative, with many joking about AI taking over the world (and our jobs) in the near future. Meanwhile, others are just relieved they donât have to deal with grumpy humans in the drive-thru.
An X (formerly Twitter), user stated: âwe not gonna have any jobs left by 2030.â
A user joked: âAt least now I can have peace of mind knowing theyâre not spitting in my food.â
Another user stated: âWait till they witness the 5 o clock rush hour.â
A user asked: âwho thought this was a good idea in the first place đ€Šââïžâ
A comment read: âGen beta are cooked đâ
Another comment read: âWe only got a few more years left before we gotta start growing our own food.â
A user quipped: âFinally I can order 4 Junior cheeseburger without someone judging me for being broke.â
Another user said: âAt least now the order will actually be correct đâ
A user went on to mention: âat least the AI wont give me attitude in the morning.â
Wendyâs FreshAI
Wendy’s is showing us what the future of fast food looks like. The fast-food chain has been cooking an ambitious project called FreshAI, their custom-built generative AI technology.
But before you imagine robots wearing red pigtail wigs, Wendyâs FreshAI kicked off in Columbus, Ohio. The techâs main gig is to reimagine what it means to âdrive-thru.â
The company says itâs shaving a crisp 22 seconds off service times compared to the local market average. That may not sound like much, but in fast food terms, itâs practically warp speed.
Currently strutting its stuff in nearly 100 restaurants across 17 states. Wendyâs spokesperson told The U.S. Sun:
âSince introducing the technology, our accuracy, speed and customer satisfaction scores reinforce weâre leading the industry.â
Is AI taking over Wendy’s?
Humans arenât sidelined completely. Crew members still step in to fix inaccuracies, which are super rare. With team members on standby, Wendyâs assures that the system is more âextra handsâ than âtaking jobs.â
The company confirmed there hadnât been any job cuts due to the rollout. Instead, itâs like having a coworker who never takes a lunch break or calls in sick.
Speaking of overachievers, Wendyâs teamed up with a leading AI provider to pilot AI-driven order-taking, leveraging natural language processing (NLP) for smoother, more human-like interactions.
According to Forbes, about 86% of orders are handled by FreshAI without needing human intervention. When factoring in a broader definition of âaccuracy,â that success rate is hitting 99%.
AI in other companies
This isnât just a Wendyâs thing, though. Generative AI is the âit techâ for customer-focused brands looking to up their game.
Companies like Wendyâs are harnessing large language models (LLMs) to anticipate customer needs at a scale that was unheard of just a few years ago.
A McKinsey report from 2024 even showed that 65% of companies integrating AI saw a 20% boost in customer satisfaction.
Edited by Sugnik Mondal