HomeWendy's AI-Powered Drive-Thrus to Offer Bilingual Service in Select States
The AI revolution in drive-thrus is picking up steam, and now it's going bilingual. Just a week after Taco Bell announced its plans to introduce AI order-taking at hundreds of its locations across the US, Wendy's is jumping on the bandwagon with a Spanish AI order-taking system at 28 drive-thru spots in Florida and Ohio.
These chosen locations are in areas with a high concentration of Spanish-speaking residents. In Florida alone, more than 22% of the population speaks Spanish at home, making this a smart move to cater to a significant part of their customer base.
AI in fast food isn't a new concept. Wendy's has been gradually rolling out its FreshAI system, powered by Google Cloud's large language model, since late last year. Meanwhile, McDonald's recently pulled the plug on its own AI experiment, opting for human workers instead, though they still see a place for AI in their future.
So, how does Wendy's new system work? When customers pull up to the menu board, they're greeted by an AI voice that asks for their order in English by default. But if a customer says "Spanish" or "Español," the AI switches languages for the entire ordering process. It's a clever way to serve a diverse customer base more effectively.
The goal behind this technology is to free up restaurant workers to focus on other tasks, Wendy's explains. With AI handling the orders, you get more accurate and faster service because the employee isn't juggling multiple responsibilities at once.
Of course, there are critics who worry about the downsides of AI in drive-thrus, like potential job losses, issues with accents or regional dialects leading to inaccurate orders, and difficulties handling unusual or customized requests. In my own experience with AI ordering at Bojangles, a chicken and biscuits chain in North Carolina, I've found it to be quicker and more accurate than human order-takers, especially when I make modifications to my order.
Wendy's has big plans to expand this technology in the future, so we'll likely see more bilingual AI drive-thrus popping up across the country.
Related article
U.S. Stocks Hit Historic Milestone as AI and Aerospace Giants Prepare for Trillion-Dollar Debut
Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Dario Amodei, three titans of the technology sector, are advancing toward initial public offerings for their respective ventures. With SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic—three industry behemoths nearing trillion-dollar valuation
Swedish AI Startup Lovable Eyes $13.2 Billion Valuation After Major Funding Round
As AI-driven coding tools gain traction, Swedish startup Lovable has secured a major funding round. The company aims to raise $3 billion, potentially boosting its valuation to $13.2 billion—double the $6.6 billion recorded last December. Menlo Ventur
Google Tests Remy AI Agent for Gemini as Focus Shifts to User Control
According to Business Insider, Google is testing Remy, a new AI personal agent for Gemini. This tool aims to execute tasks on behalf of users, streamlining both professional workflows and daily routines.Currently, Remy is undergoing testing in an int
Related Special Topic Recommendations
Data Analysis
Best AI Anomaly Detection Tools for KPI Monitoring across SaaS and Ecommerce Teams
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Anomaly Detection Tools for KPI Monitoring in SaaS and Ecommerce teams! XIX.AI has curated a powerful, game-changing collection based on rigorous real-world tests and weekly updated rankings. You’ll find detailed free vs paid comparison insights to help you identify the must-try solution that boosts productivity and unlocks your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
writing
Best AI Outline Generators for Long-Form SEO Articles
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Outline Generators for Long-Form SEO Articles, meticulously curated by XIX.AI. These powerful tools offer game-changing assistance in creating high-quality content quickly, boosting writing efficiency significantly. Get a free vs paid comparison along with real-world tests and detailed rankings to help you find the must-try option that suits your needs. Explore now to unlock your AI edge.
8 tools
xix.ai
Education and Learning
AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep
2026 Latest Best AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep! XIX.AI curates a top-rated list of powerful, game-changing tools that help students boost productivity, streamline homework completion, and ace exams through real-world tests. Get a free vs paid comparison, detailed rankings, and must-try options to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
Music composition
AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hooks, Toplines, and Multilingual Draft Sessions
2026 Latest Best AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hook Creators, and Multi-Language Content Teams! XIX.AI has curated a top-rated list of powerful game-changing tools that go through rigorous real-world tests. You’ll find detailed free vs paid comparison data, comprehensive rankings, and must-try options to help you boost writing efficiency and unlock your creative potential. Explore now to discover your perfect tool for all your content needs!
9 tools
xix.ai
Business
Best AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses! XIX.AI has curated a highly powerful game-changing collection, updated weekly with rigorous real-world tests and detailed rankings. You can find a comprehensive free vs paid comparison to help you identify the must-try tools that boost your productivity and give you a competitive edge. Explore now to discover your perfect tool!
9 tools
xix.ai
Image editing
Photoshop AI Retouch Tools for Ecommerce Apparel, Skin Cleanup, and Color Consistency
2026 Latest Best Photoshop AI retouch tools for ecommerce apparel, skin cleanup, and color consistency! This top-rated curated list features powerful game-changing solutions that help you boost writing efficiency, streamline content creation, and achieve perfect visual results effortlessly. Each tool has undergone real-world tests through weekly updated rankings, complete with free vs paid comparison details. Backed by XIX.AI, it’s the must-try guide for anyone aiming to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
Comments (33)
0/500
![RalphGarcia]()
AIが注文を受ける流れには正直驚いたけど、バイリンガル対応はアメリカならではの戦略だね。技術の進歩にはワクワクするけど、将来私たちの仕事が取られるんじゃないかってちょっと不安…🤔
![JoseAdams]()
Enfin un drive qui parle ma langue ! 😄 C'est marrant de voir combien les fast-foods sont motivés à automatiser... J'espère juste que l'IA comprendra mieux les accents régionaux que les humains. Parce que franchement, même nous on a du mal parfois !
![EricMiller]()
Wendy's AI drive-thru speaking Spanish? That's wild! Can't wait to see if it nails my order or just serves me digital tacos by mistake 😅.
![BillyThomas]()
¡Qué genial que Wendy's ahora ofrezca servicio bilingüe en el drive-thru! Ahora puedo pedir en español sin problemas. Era hora de que la comida rápida se pusiera al día. Solo espero que el AI no se equivoque con mi pedido como lo hacen algunos trabajadores humanos. ¡Dale una oportunidad! 🌮
![RaymondNelson]()
Wendy's going bilingual at the drive-thru is pretty dope! Now I can order in Spanish without any hassle. It's about time fast food caught up with the times. Just hope the AI doesn't mess up my order like some human workers do. Give it a shot! 🌮
![PaulBrown]()
ウェンディーズのAIドライブスルーはかなり便利ですね、特にバイリンガルサービスが！急いでいて英語を話すのが面倒なときに助かります。ただ、私のスラングをもう少し理解してほしいですが、良いスタートですね！🍔🤖
The AI revolution in drive-thrus is picking up steam, and now it's going bilingual. Just a week after Taco Bell announced its plans to introduce AI order-taking at hundreds of its locations across the US, Wendy's is jumping on the bandwagon with a Spanish AI order-taking system at 28 drive-thru spots in Florida and Ohio.
These chosen locations are in areas with a high concentration of Spanish-speaking residents. In Florida alone, more than 22% of the population speaks Spanish at home, making this a smart move to cater to a significant part of their customer base.
AI in fast food isn't a new concept. Wendy's has been gradually rolling out its FreshAI system, powered by Google Cloud's large language model, since late last year. Meanwhile, McDonald's recently pulled the plug on its own AI experiment, opting for human workers instead, though they still see a place for AI in their future.
So, how does Wendy's new system work? When customers pull up to the menu board, they're greeted by an AI voice that asks for their order in English by default. But if a customer says "Spanish" or "Español," the AI switches languages for the entire ordering process. It's a clever way to serve a diverse customer base more effectively.
The goal behind this technology is to free up restaurant workers to focus on other tasks, Wendy's explains. With AI handling the orders, you get more accurate and faster service because the employee isn't juggling multiple responsibilities at once.
Of course, there are critics who worry about the downsides of AI in drive-thrus, like potential job losses, issues with accents or regional dialects leading to inaccurate orders, and difficulties handling unusual or customized requests. In my own experience with AI ordering at Bojangles, a chicken and biscuits chain in North Carolina, I've found it to be quicker and more accurate than human order-takers, especially when I make modifications to my order.
Wendy's has big plans to expand this technology in the future, so we'll likely see more bilingual AI drive-thrus popping up across the country.
U.S. Stocks Hit Historic Milestone as AI and Aerospace Giants Prepare for Trillion-Dollar Debut
Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Dario Amodei, three titans of the technology sector, are advancing toward initial public offerings for their respective ventures. With SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic—three industry behemoths nearing trillion-dollar valuation
Swedish AI Startup Lovable Eyes $13.2 Billion Valuation After Major Funding Round
As AI-driven coding tools gain traction, Swedish startup Lovable has secured a major funding round. The company aims to raise $3 billion, potentially boosting its valuation to $13.2 billion—double the $6.6 billion recorded last December. Menlo Ventur
Google Tests Remy AI Agent for Gemini as Focus Shifts to User Control
According to Business Insider, Google is testing Remy, a new AI personal agent for Gemini. This tool aims to execute tasks on behalf of users, streamlining both professional workflows and daily routines.Currently, Remy is undergoing testing in an int
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Anomaly Detection Tools for KPI Monitoring in SaaS and Ecommerce teams! XIX.AI has curated a powerful, game-changing collection based on rigorous real-world tests and weekly updated rankings. You’ll find detailed free vs paid comparison insights to help you identify the must-try solution that boosts productivity and unlocks your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Outline Generators for Long-Form SEO Articles, meticulously curated by XIX.AI. These powerful tools offer game-changing assistance in creating high-quality content quickly, boosting writing efficiency significantly. Get a free vs paid comparison along with real-world tests and detailed rankings to help you find the must-try option that suits your needs. Explore now to unlock your AI edge.
8 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep! XIX.AI curates a top-rated list of powerful, game-changing tools that help students boost productivity, streamline homework completion, and ace exams through real-world tests. Get a free vs paid comparison, detailed rankings, and must-try options to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hook Creators, and Multi-Language Content Teams! XIX.AI has curated a top-rated list of powerful game-changing tools that go through rigorous real-world tests. You’ll find detailed free vs paid comparison data, comprehensive rankings, and must-try options to help you boost writing efficiency and unlock your creative potential. Explore now to discover your perfect tool for all your content needs!
9 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses! XIX.AI has curated a highly powerful game-changing collection, updated weekly with rigorous real-world tests and detailed rankings. You can find a comprehensive free vs paid comparison to help you identify the must-try tools that boost your productivity and give you a competitive edge. Explore now to discover your perfect tool!
9 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Photoshop AI retouch tools for ecommerce apparel, skin cleanup, and color consistency! This top-rated curated list features powerful game-changing solutions that help you boost writing efficiency, streamline content creation, and achieve perfect visual results effortlessly. Each tool has undergone real-world tests through weekly updated rankings, complete with free vs paid comparison details. Backed by XIX.AI, it’s the must-try guide for anyone aiming to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
AIが注文を受ける流れには正直驚いたけど、バイリンガル対応はアメリカならではの戦略だね。技術の進歩にはワクワクするけど、将来私たちの仕事が取られるんじゃないかってちょっと不安…🤔
Enfin un drive qui parle ma langue ! 😄 C'est marrant de voir combien les fast-foods sont motivés à automatiser... J'espère juste que l'IA comprendra mieux les accents régionaux que les humains. Parce que franchement, même nous on a du mal parfois !
Wendy's AI drive-thru speaking Spanish? That's wild! Can't wait to see if it nails my order or just serves me digital tacos by mistake 😅.
¡Qué genial que Wendy's ahora ofrezca servicio bilingüe en el drive-thru! Ahora puedo pedir en español sin problemas. Era hora de que la comida rápida se pusiera al día. Solo espero que el AI no se equivoque con mi pedido como lo hacen algunos trabajadores humanos. ¡Dale una oportunidad! 🌮
Wendy's going bilingual at the drive-thru is pretty dope! Now I can order in Spanish without any hassle. It's about time fast food caught up with the times. Just hope the AI doesn't mess up my order like some human workers do. Give it a shot! 🌮
ウェンディーズのAIドライブスルーはかなり便利ですね、特にバイリンガルサービスが！急いでいて英語を話すのが面倒なときに助かります。ただ、私のスラングをもう少し理解してほしいですが、良いスタートですね！🍔🤖
