AI takes your order: Fast-food drive-thrus get chatbot workers

Fast-food chains are testing artificial intelligence to take orders at drive-thru windows. The technology, called a chatbot, uses voice recognition to understand customers and process their requests. Several major restaurants have started pilot programs. The AI system asks customers what they want to eat, confirms the order, and sends it to the kitchen. Human workers then prepare the food and hand it to the driver. Supporters say the chatbots can reduce wait times and free up employees for other tasks. Critics worry about job losses and potential errors with complex orders. The move comes as fast-food companies face labor shortages and rising costs. Early results show the technology can handle simple orders, but struggles with heavy accents or noisy car engines. No company has announced a full rollout. Most chains are still testing the system in a few locations to see how customers react.