Burger King tracks employee friendliness in new AI pilot

Staff can ask the chatbot practical questions mid-shift, such as how many strips of bacon should go on a Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper or how to clean a shake machine, rather than consulting printed manuals, according to The Verge report. 

Because of its link to the ordering system, the AI can also trigger automatic updates when stock runs out or machines fail. If an item becomes unavailable, Burger King says the assistant will flag the issue for managers and push an update through the company’s digital channels.

“Within 15 minutes, the entire ecosystem will remove it from stock — whether you’re walking into a restaurant to order from the kiosk, whether you’re going to the drive-thru, the digital menu board will be updated,” Roux told The Verge. 

According to The Guardian, promotional material for the tool also shows Patty notifying staff when bathrooms need cleaning and guiding workers through Whopper ingredients after an order is placed.

Meanwhile, Roux told The Verge that Burger King is trialling AI-powered drive-thru ordering in fewer than 100 restaurants and remains cautious about rolling it out more widely.