McDonald’s Pilots AI‑Powered Drive‑Thru Ordering System “ArchIQ” at Five U.S. Sites

McDonald’s customers may soon place their orders through an artificial‑intelligence system at the drive‑thru.

The fast‑food chain is currently testing a new AI order‑taking platform called ArchIQ at five locations nationwide, according to Restaurant Business Magazine. The trial is part of “McDonald’s Next,” the company’s latest brand strategy announced this week.

While unveiling McDonald’s Next, CEO Chris Kempczinski emphasized that customers should not have to choose between hospitality and speed.

McDonald’s is testing a new AI‑driven order‑taking system at its drive‑thrus. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

According to a McFranchisee X account, Google is involved in the project. The post noted that the company has been working with AI for about eight years and that the system has already processed over one million transactions across five test stores, with roughly 90 % of orders completed without human escalation.

A woman works in a McDonald’s in Manhattan on January 5, 2024. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

McFranchisee added that Google Edge Cloud hardware will be installed at every McDonald’s nationwide ahead of a broader rollout. “ArchIQ will not only handle drive‑thru orders but also serve as a central intelligence to help managers run more efficient restaurants,” the account explained.

Public reaction on X has been mixed, with some users expressing concerns that the system could replace human interaction at the window.

The McDonald’s logo displayed at a restaurant in Burbank, California, on July 22, 2024. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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