Fast-food companies including McDonald's and Burger King are putting more focus on employee interaction while continuing to develop automated ordering systems. Fortune reported that 80% of diners prefer ordering from a person rather than an artificial intelligence system.
Automation expanded across the industry in recent years. McDonald's added in-store kiosks in 2016, and Wendy's began using its FreshAI drive-thru program in 2023. McDonald's also launched ArchIQ, a drive-thru AI chatbot, through its McDonald's > NEXT initiative earlier this year. Wendy's continues to fund its digital ordering system, according to Chief Financial Officer Ken Cook in comments cited by Fortune.
Burger King is redesigning some restaurants to make employees more visible. President Tom Curtis said customers want to see a friendly person and that the company must respond as human contact becomes less common in fast food.
The Wall Street Journal reported that McDonald's, Burger King, Starbucks and Wendy's are considering more energetic greetings, keeping counter workers available for complaints and having staff confirm order accuracy.
Portillo's has sent workers outside to take drive-thru orders rather than depending solely on a menu board and speaker. The Chicago-based chain had baristas coach employees on conversational engagement while customers wait. The Independent, drawing on The Wall Street Journal's report, and Fortune described the wider changes.
In Florida, the state minimum wage that sets the floor for counter and drive-thru jobs rises to $15 an hour on Sept. 30, 2026, the final step of a phase-in that Florida voters approved in 2020.
