McDonald’s testing a major change to the drive-thru

Alix MartichouxFri, June 5, 2026 at 10:10 PM UTC

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McDonald’s testing a major change to the drive-thru

A robotic voice may soon be taking your order at the drive-thru.

McDonald's is testing out an artificial intelligence-based operating system called ArchIQ, the company announced this week. The voice-activated AI system is being tested at five locations around the country, Restaurant Business Magazine reports.

A franchisee showed off a demo of the technology, nicknamed Archy, on X. The video shows ArchIQ taking orders in English and Spanish.

While it's currently in a test phase, the franchisee, who posts under the popular account McFranchisee, said "every McDonald's in the US" is getting a technology upgrade in anticipation of the new tech.

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It's not McDonald's first foray into AI-powered drive-thrus. The fast food company abandoned its partnership with IBM in 2024 and removed the AI order taker from the 100 locations where it was being tested.

This second attempt at incorporating AI is part of a growth strategy the company calls "McDonald's > NEXT."

"McDonald's > NEXT is how we'll unlock our next phase of growth and productivity, by bringing in more customers more often and improving unit economics," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a press release.

Menu changes to "elevate taste and quality" are also being considered as part of the plan, but there weren't many details on what those changes might entail.

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Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Money”