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What AI can do for the restaurant industryWhat AI can do for the restaurant industry

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

May 17, 2023

 

Conversational AI in the drive-thru lane is nothing new — NRN has been covering the rise of this trending tech phenomenon since 2019, when companies first begin adapting AI voice assistants in earnest —  but the trend has now reached a fever pitch, and more and more limited-service chains are replacing humans with AI drive-thru workers. This is only the beginning: as AI becomes more ubiquitous in the restaurant industry, there will be a major shift in the service model and customer experience.

This month, Wendy’s and CKE Restaurants announced plans to implement test pilots of AI in the drive-thru lane, joining a list that includes White Castle, Del Taco, Panera, McDonald’s, and Sonic. 

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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