Wendy’s to pilot AI at Ohio drive-thru with Google Cloud

Wendy’s and Google Cloud have partnered to pilot an AI solution, dubbed Wendy’s FreshAI, to transform the brand’s drive-thru experience with Google Cloud’s generative AI and large language models tech, according to a press release.

The brand says 75 to 80% of Wendy’s customers’ chose the drive-thru, and customers’ abilities to completely customize their Wendy’s orders can make it difficult for AI to understand the endless order combinations on Wendy’s menu. Google Cloud’s generative AI capabilities can now bring a new automated ordering experience to the drive-thru that is intended to enhance the experience that customers, employees and franchisees expect from Wendy’s.

The brand plans to launch its first pilot of Google Cloud’s AI tech at a company-owned restaurant in the Columbus, Ohio area. Findings from the pilot will help Wendy’s FreshAI learn in order to expand to more Wendy’s drive-thrus. The pilot will include new generative AI offerings, such as Vertex AI and more, to have conversations with customers, the ability to understand made-to-order requests and generate responses to frequently asked questions.

“Wendy’s introduced the first modern pick-up window in the industry more than 50 years ago, and we’re thrilled to continue our work with Google Cloud to bring a new wave of innovation to the drive-thru experience,” Todd Penegor, president and CEO of Wendy’s, said in the press release. “Google Cloud’s generative AI technology creates a huge opportunity for us to deliver a truly differentiated, faster and frictionless experience for our customers, and allows our employees to continue focusing on making great food and building relationships with fans that keep them coming back time and again.”

“Wendy’s has always been at the forefront of innovation, and we’re thrilled to build upon our partnership with the company with our new generative AI technologies,” Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud, said in the press release. “Generative AI is fundamentally changing how people interact with brands, and we anticipate Wendy’s integration of Google Cloud’s generative AI technology will set a new standard for great drive-thru experiences for the quick-service industry.”

Wendy’s operates approximately 7,000 restaurants worldwide.