Pizza Hut, KFCAnd Taco Bell are about to get a lot smarter, thanks to artificial intelligence. Yum Brandsthe parent company of these popular fast food chaingoes all-in AI with the intention of incorporating it into virtually every aspect of restaurant operations.
“Our vision for (quick-service restaurants) is that an AI-driven mindset works every step of the way,” Joe ParkYum’s chief digital and technology officer, told the Wall Street Journal: “If you think about the great journeys within a restaurant that can be powered by AI, we think they’re endless. »
AI is coming to the drive-thru near you, with voice AI being tested to take your order instead of human workers. Then there’s an “AI-powered”Superapp” for tested employees, which would allow restaurant staff to simply ask how to prepare menu items rather than digging through training manuals.
“You can do this through generative AI,” Park said of the AI chatbot features tested for the SuperApp used in more than 8,700 Pizza Hut and KFC stores.
The SuperApp is considered an all-knowing “coach in your pocket,” as Park calls it, for franchisees. From setting the appropriate oven temperature to scheduling shifts and ordering ingredients, this AI assistant could make critical decisions usually handled by human managers. So, no more need for human managers?
The AI takeover may seem worrying to the employees serving your Crunchwrap Supremes and Original Recipe Chicken. However, Yum says its human workforce will remain essential, calling AI technology “an opportunity to improve the restaurant team member experience.”
A Yum spokesperson told the Journal that employees “will still play a critical role,” despite the broad AI plans.
For the customer, Yum’s AI ambitions could translate into a more personalized experience. The company consolidated data from its brands to create detailed customer profiles. This “secret sauce” of unified data could allow AI systems to offer tailored promotions and predict what you’ll want for your next meal.
“We understand that loyalty will be a very important part of Yum’s future,” Park said. “Every time we increase that digital sales number, it comes with customer data.”
However, not everyone is happy about an AI preparing their fast food. Some experts have warned that current generative AI could spit out dangerous cooking instructions or combine ingredients in potentially toxic ways.
But for Yum, the benefits of increased digital sales and lower labor costs appear to outweigh any risk of an AI frying fries incorrectly (for now) . Since the pandemic, Yum has roughly doubled its digital sales to around $30 billion, or 45% of total sales, according to Park. These online ordering numbers provide even more incentive for Yum to double down on AI and automation efforts to further drive digital growth.
“Our vision for (quick-service restaurants) is that an AI-driven mindset works every step of the way,” Joe ParkYum’s chief digital and technology officer, told the Wall Street Journal: “If you think about the great journeys within a restaurant that can be powered by AI, we think they’re endless. »
AI is coming to the drive-thru near you, with voice AI being tested to take your order instead of human workers. Then there’s an “AI-powered”Superapp” for tested employees, which would allow restaurant staff to simply ask how to prepare menu items rather than digging through training manuals.
“You can do this through generative AI,” Park said of the AI chatbot features tested for the SuperApp used in more than 8,700 Pizza Hut and KFC stores.
The SuperApp is considered an all-knowing “coach in your pocket,” as Park calls it, for franchisees. From setting the appropriate oven temperature to scheduling shifts and ordering ingredients, this AI assistant could make critical decisions usually handled by human managers. So, no more need for human managers?
The AI takeover may seem worrying to the employees serving your Crunchwrap Supremes and Original Recipe Chicken. However, Yum says its human workforce will remain essential, calling AI technology “an opportunity to improve the restaurant team member experience.”
A Yum spokesperson told the Journal that employees “will still play a critical role,” despite the broad AI plans.
For the customer, Yum’s AI ambitions could translate into a more personalized experience. The company consolidated data from its brands to create detailed customer profiles. This “secret sauce” of unified data could allow AI systems to offer tailored promotions and predict what you’ll want for your next meal.
“We understand that loyalty will be a very important part of Yum’s future,” Park said. “Every time we increase that digital sales number, it comes with customer data.”
However, not everyone is happy about an AI preparing their fast food. Some experts have warned that current generative AI could spit out dangerous cooking instructions or combine ingredients in potentially toxic ways.
But for Yum, the benefits of increased digital sales and lower labor costs appear to outweigh any risk of an AI frying fries incorrectly (for now) . Since the pandemic, Yum has roughly doubled its digital sales to around $30 billion, or 45% of total sales, according to Park. These online ordering numbers provide even more incentive for Yum to double down on AI and automation efforts to further drive digital growth.
