Over the past year, companies like McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King have brought some serious updates to their restaurants and drive-thru lanes. However, Checkers & Rally might become the most futuristic. The company is setting up bots to take orders in its drive-thru nationwide!
Checkers & Rally Game-Changing Decision
Checkers & Rally’s, one of the biggest fast-food chains in the United States, has announced plans to bring order-taking bots to more than 250 stores across the country this year, thanks to a partnership with Presto. This will make Checkers & Rally the first nationwide fast-food chain to bring AI-powered voice assistants to their drive-thru lanes.
Of course, the move comes as the fast-food industry faces one of the most significant labor shortages in history. Checkers & Rally hopes the drive-thru bots will help with that, allowing the company to “redeploy existing workers to more people-dependent tasks” and enhance guest experiences.
“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,” Checkers & Rally CEO Frances Allen explained to Insider. “Our use of technology is aimed at streamlining work for our team members. It is about making their jobs more doable and enjoyable.”
This is also quite a move up for Presto…
A New Market for Presto
You may have heard of Presto before, as the company is currently best known for creating pay-at-the-table tablets just over a decade ago. Now, Presto tablets are in some of the most famous restaurants in the world, including Applebee’s, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster, and more. As such, the company is currently valued at $1 billion.
Last year, Presto decided to add voice ordering to its available tools “to capture a significant share of the $205 billion restaurant labor productivity market.” Previously, Presto explained to Insider not only why it added voice ordering, but also the details of how its voice ordering works. According to the Presto team, the system has been tested at a nearly 100% accuracy rate.
“Checkers & Rally’s desire to take the industry forward through disruptive innovation is inspiring, and Presto is fully committed to supporting this bold vision,” the founder and CEO of Presto, Rajat Suri, said in a recent statement.
Will, this plan work out for Presto and Checkers & Rally? It certainly looks like it will, but only time will tell…
Sources: Business Wire, MSN