Voice ordering bots made by tablet company Presto will soon be used at 267 Checkers & Rally’s restaurants. The company, which is known for its double drive-thru lanes, said Monday that it will start using voice ordering bots at 267 of its corporate stores. The AI-powered voice assistants at the drive-thru will be used at Checkers for the first time in a national restaurant chain. Their plan is to roll this out over the next few years.
The move comes at a time when the industry is short on workers. In November, 920,000 people left their jobs at restaurants and hotels, beating August’s high of 867,000 in the second half of 2021, according to data from the Department of Labor. They said that if restaurants use automated voice bots to take orders at the drive-thru, they can use the same workers for “more people-dependent” tasks that make the guest experience better.
“Growing and hiring at a rapid speed because of the technology”
“I think there is an incorrect narrative circulating that technology will contribute to job loss or serves as a complete ‘fix’ for the current labor challenges everyone in the restaurant industry is experiencing right now. The case is quite the opposite for us. Because we are able to implement technology, we are growing and hiring at a rapid speed” said CEO Frances Allen.
It is well-known in the restaurant business that Presto made tablets that let customers pay for their food at the table back in 2011. As the head of Presto, Rajat Suri said in a statement: ” Checkers & Rally’s desire to take the industry forward through disruptive innovation is inspiring, and Presto is fully committed to supporting this bold vision.”
Not only Checkers, which has 898 restaurants, is adding new technology to help with daily operations because there aren’t enough people to do them. McDonald’s has invested in similar drive-thru technology in the past. McDonald’s wouldn’t say how many of its restaurants use this new technology. Instead, the company said that it plans to ” further integrate Dynamic Yield’s capabilities globally and across ordering channels.”
