Taco Bell scales voice AI drive-thru ordering to almost 900 stores
Taco Bell is expanding the use of voice-enabled artificial intelligence technology at drive-thru locations.
The quick-service Mexican food chain is deepening its deployment of the Omilia voice AI platform across its U.S. drive-thru network. Taco Bell began rolling out the solution in 2023 and has since implemented it more than 890 U.S. restaurants across 38 states.
[READ MORE: Taco Bell to roll out AI ordering at drive-thru lanes in hundreds of locations]
How it works
The solution helps automate order-taking at the drive-thru speaker, adapting to each location’s menu, real-time stock levels, and limited-time offers. It uses proprietary small language models that provide ultra-low latency, context-sensitive transcription specifically tuned for the acoustic environment of the drive-thru lane.
The platform interprets and reasons on customer input, including slang, humor, mid-order changes and complex customizations, and is designed to converse naturally without latency, scripted menus or hallucinations. It also adapts in real time to each restaurant’s menu, including limited-time offers and stock variations, eliminating the need for manual retraining when menus change. Generative AI capabilities are intended to further improve natural conversational cadence and contextual understanding.
“Omilia’s voice AI gives us the ability to ease team members’ workloads and provides them the flexibility to engage with customers in a more meaningful way,” said Dane Mathews, global chief digital & technology officer, Taco Bell. “Omilia’s platform has proven itself at scale in select U.S. restaurants, and continuing this strategic partnership supports our long-term digital and tech strategy.”
Results
According to Taco Bell, data shows transaction time in the drive-thru with voice AI is on par with, and in some cases faster than, traditional order-taking methods. Taco Bell locations using voice AI have reported higher employee retention compared to those without, enabling workers to have more time to serve in-store customers.
In addition, Taco Bell reports higher customer satisfaction at voice AI-enabled restaurants, with customer complaints at parity or better than non-AI locations.
Taco Bell and its parent company Yum! Brands have incorporated input from Taco Bell franchisees into the solution, which is based on Taco Bell’s existing frictionless drive-thru model, as well as the proprietary Yum! Brands Poseidon POS system and the Taco Bell Rewards loyalty program.
Yum! Brands has been focusing on AI solutions for several years, including through acquisitions of AI technology developers and partnering with Nvidia to accelerate the development of innovative AI technologies to manage a variety of tasks at its restaurants around the globe.
“The drive-thru environment is one of the most demanding - real-time, noisy, fast-paced, with menus that change by store and by day. It is exactly where our purpose-built Voice AI separates from general-purpose tools that have failed,” said Dimitris Vassos, CEO and co-founder at Omilia. “This partnership reflects Omilia and Taco Bell’s shared commitment to delivering measurable value for customers, restaurant teams and franchisees.”
Yum! Brands Inc., and its subsidiaries franchise or operate more than 43,000 restaurants in 155 countries and territories under the brands KFC, Taco Bell, and Habit Burger & Grill.
