McDonald's Drive-Thru AI Upgrade Now Running Entire Operations Without Human Workers in 200 Test Locations
CHICAGO—McDonald's has announced a drastic expansion of its AI drive-thru system, with 200 locations now fully automated—no cashiers, no order-takers, just a synthetic voice that remembers your last order, your kids' names, and what you paid. The AI upgrade, launched quietly last month, has already led to a 30% faster service time and a 15% increase in upsells. But customers are voicing a new fear: the system, which cross-references license plates and loyalty apps, has begun predicting cravings before customers even speak. "It asked me if I wanted the same McFlurry I had when I was sad last Tuesday," said one driver. Privacy advocates are calling the upgrade a real-time behavioral experiment. McDonald's insists the tech is purely for convenience, but a leaked internal memo suggests the goal is to phase out human workers entirely by 2030.