Burger King is scaling back how hard it leans on AI in the drive-thru after early tests showed some customers do not want to place their order with a bot. The chain said it is now working on a way to give guests more control over whether they order through voice AI or a human employee.
For households that rely on fast food for quick dinners, school night pickups or road trip stops, that change is less about technology hype and more about whether the ordering line feels easy, familiar and accurate.
Burger King says AI will stay in testing, not take over ordering
Burger King has been testing AI voice ordering for several years with Google and other partners, but the company said the next phase will be more limited and more flexible. Speaking at the FSTEC conference on Wednesday, Chakri Somisetti, Burger King’s vice president of brand technologies, said the company learned that making AI the only option created friction for some guests.
Somisetti said Burger King “quickly realized” that forcing AI as the only way to order “doesn’t go well.” He said some pilot restaurants saw “drive offs” because guests did not want to talk to a bot. That is a notable change in tone from a fast food industry that has spent years pitching AI as a faster, smoother way to handle drive-thru lines.
The chain is still testing voice AI in about 50 to 70 locations, according to Somisetti. Nation’s Restaurant News also published a correction saying an earlier version of its story incorrectly stated Burger King was testing the technology in 1,500 locations. The current figure, 50 to 70, is the confirmed count in the source material.
The shift is national, but Burger King has not said which stores are involved
Burger King has not released a list of the cities or states where those 50 to 70 test locations operate. That means customers cannot yet tell from public company information whether their local restaurant is part of the pilot, or when a human first option may appear at more stores.
What is clear is that the issue is not limited to one market. Technomic data shared at FSTEC showed a broad consumer preference for human interaction when ordering food. According to the research presented at the conference, 46% of consumers said ordering in the restaurant with an employee is appealing.
By contrast, only 23% said ordering from an AI drive-thru bot is appealing, while 46% said it is unappealing. Rich Shank, Technomic’s vice president of innovation, said kiosks and AI ordering can make sense, but “it is not for everyone.” For families ordering customized meals, kids’ food and add-ons, that gap helps explain why a person at the speaker can still matter.
Burger King is still spending on tech, but behind the scenes
The company’s pullback does not mean Burger King is abandoning restaurant technology. Somisetti said technology has been part of the chain’s broader “Reclaim the Flame” turnaround, but much of that investment has happened out of sight for customers.
According to Burger King, the company spent $400 million on technology over the past several years, largely to unify its data and tech stack. The goal, Somisetti said, was to build a stronger foundation for growth rather than add gadgets that do not solve a clear problem for guests or restaurant teams.
Burger King has also started using AI in the back of house through an assistant called Patty, which communicates with employees through headsets and can remind them to use phrases like “please” and “thank you.” Somisetti said the company evaluates technology against specific goals and key performance indicators before investing. For customers, that suggests the next round of restaurant AI may be less visible at the menu board and more focused on helping workers keep orders moving and service consistent.