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KFC exploring McDonald’s-like drive-thru automation

Future tech could include license-plate recognition, AI-powered menu boards

Nancy Luna, Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

October 28, 2019

3 Min Read
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As KFC looks ahead at its 2020 digital strategy, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Christopher Caldwell said the brand is focused on automation and personalization at the drive-thru.

“The next phase of the journey is really focusing on the drive-thru,” Caldwell said during a recent phone interview with Nation’s Restaurant News. “There's a lot of really cool things we can do [for customers] on an external digital menu board that would really make their experience much better.”

KFC’s digital push comes as the Louisville, Ky.-based chain flipped the switch this month on its new online ordering platform, which coincided with the brand’s launch of Kentucky Fried Wings. Caldwell said consumer response to the new native online ordering channel is exc...

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About the Author

Nancy Luna

Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Nancy Luna is a senior editor at Nation's Restaurant News and a contributing editor at Supermarket News. She covers the industry's largest and most talked about fast-food brands including McDonald's, Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway. She is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years reporting experience. As a veteran business reporter based in Southern California, Nancy has covered some of the country's most beloved food and retail brands including In-N-Out, Taco Bell, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Whole Foods Market, Target and Costco. Luna is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton. When she's not digging for news on her beat, you can find Nancy regaling her fans about her latest dining adventures on her Fast Food Maven social media channels. Contact nancy.luna@informa.com  or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fastfoodmaven

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