Wendy’s is testing Spanish-speaking AI capabilities in the drivers of 28 company-operated restaurants in Florida and Ohio to further appeal to its diverse customer base, the fast-food chain said.
While still in its early testing stages, the new Wendy’s FreshAI Spanish-language capability will help the burger seller “better serve Spanish-speaking customers through technology,” the Dublin, Ohio-based company said in a press release.
To begin an order in Spanish, customers simply need to say “Spanish” or “Español” into the Wendy’s FreshAI microphone to receive the new pilot language. The system will then speak and process the entire order entirely in Spanish, according to Wendy’s.
“We’ve embraced generative AI at the drive-thru to help Wendy’s crew members while evolving the technology to meet our customers’ needs,” said Matt Spessard, Wendy’s CIO. “I’m energized by our partnership with Google Cloud to continue pushing this technology forward with new Spanish-language features designed to expand access and reshape the drive-thru experience for our Wendy’s fans today and in the future.”
The company known for its square burgers and Frosty dessert first began testing AI-powered ordering at a Columbus, Ohio, drive-thru in June 2023.
Taco Bell expands its use of voice AI technology to hundreds of the Mexican chain’s drive-thru locations by the end of the year, parent company Yum Brands announced late last month.
But not all quick-service restaurants are embracing the use of artificial intelligence to take orders, as the technology has had mixed results for McDonald’s. The Golden Arches in June said it was pull the plug on its Automated Order Taker pilot, which used AI in drive-thrus to speed up orders at about 100 US locations.