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In short: McDonald’s will use artificial intelligence to improve the operations of 43,000 restaurants. According to Chief Information Office Brian Rice, the initiative will help crews cope with daily stressors such as customer and vendor interaction as well as equipment breakdowns. The Wall Street Journal reports that McDonald’s began rolling out edge computing platforms (19459022) at some of its US restaurant last year and plans to add to the mix by 2025.
This new technology opens up a world of possibilities. Computer vision could, for instance, check for accuracy by using fixed cameras in a kitchen before an order was passed on to a client. Automated order taking AI, such as the type that McDonald’s tested last year with IBM, could streamline drive-thru ordering. Sensors on kitchen equipment can collect data in real-time and be used to predict when deep fryers, ice cream machines or other appliances are most likely to break down. Edge computing can also help restaurant managers with administrative duties. A “generative AI virtual manager, similar to ones Taco Bell and Pizza Hut have been testing would make it easier for managers to perform shift scheduling.
McDonald’s refused to say how many US locations currently use edge computing. Sandeep Unni is a retail analyst with market research firm Gartner. He says that the popular burger company will face difficulties when it comes to implementing the technology across franchises and corporate owned locations. Unni also mentioned that deployment costs are a concern.
The decision on whether or not technology supplements are necessary is partly a personal one. One could argue that the funding for this initiative would be better spent improving employee training or tightening routine maintenance. AI overlords would not be necessary if staff were more efficient in tasks such as taking drive-thru order and ensuring accuracy.
Rival food chains like In-Nout and Chick Fil-A have mastered customer service. There’s no reason why other fast food outlets couldn’t do the same if they made it a priority.
Image credit: Erik McleanBrett Jordan
