Several major fast-food chains are developing new approaches centered on staff interactions, according to The Wall Street Journal. McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks and Wendy’s are among the companies working on measures such as more energetic greetings, keeping counter workers available for complaints and reviewing orders for accuracy.
A July report from Fortune said roughly 80% of diners would rather order from a person than an AI system. Diners want a friendly face, Burger King President Tom Curtis told the Journal, and the chain needs to put more weight on that part of a visit. Burger King has also modified some restaurant layouts to give personal exchanges a larger role.
The changes follow years of automation. McDonald’s added ordering kiosks to its restaurants in 2016, and Wendy’s launched its FreshAI drive-thru program in 2023. Portillo’s, the Chicago-based chain, has assigned employees to take drive-thru orders outside rather than depending solely on menu boards and speakers.
It also brought in baristas to coach workers in customer conversations, QSR Magazine reported. The shift was also covered by The Independent, citing the Journal, and by Fortune.
