Bojangles uses voice AI in hundreds of drive-ins

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Diving certificate:

• According to a press release issued Tuesday, Hi Auto and Bojangles will begin implementing Hi Auto’s artificial language intelligence in the drive-thru area at hundreds of the fast-food chain’s locations.
• The expansion follows the rollout of the technology in approximately 50 Bojangles restaurants and will include both company-owned and franchise locations.
• Hi Auto claims that its tool, which Bojangles calls “Bo-Linda,” is accurate 95% of the time and “can match the performance of human workers.”

Diving insight:

Hi Auto claims that its voice AI tool is “designed to reduce team member workload so employees can focus on food quality, order accuracy and guest interaction.”

According to the press release, the technology can act as a mediator between customers and employees, as employees can tell the tool relevant information such as wait times for items, which the voice tool then relays to customers. The companies claimed this type of communication “helped change employees’ perception of the technology, as Bo-Linda is viewed as a valuable team member rather than a threat to their jobs.”

Richard Del Valle, chief information officer at Bojangles, claimed that technology could even reduce staff turnover by reducing employee workloads and allowing them to focus on customer service.

“Our goal at Bojangles is to be an aggressive early adopter, combining the best technologies with our famous Southern hospitality to enhance every aspect of our business,” Del Valle said in a statement.

Drive-thru voice AI is currently gaining popularity among restaurants. For example, Wendy’s franchisees are testing a version of the technology through a partnership with Google. Checkers & Rally’s also uses Hi Auto’s technology and released a Spanish-language version last year. ConverseNow recently acquired Valyant, a competitor in the drive-thru voice AI market. The two companies said the deal would accelerate the transformation of the QSR sector.

But results from major restaurant brands like McDonald’s suggest the technology isn’t automatically well received by customers. The Golden Arches tested IBM’s drive-thru AI starting in 2021, but stopped the work this month for unspecified reasons. Experts say employee intervention in the ordering process is common in 5 to 10 percent of cases, but can speed up drive-thru service.