Starbucks considers bringing AI to drive-thru, testing back-end model to assist with order entry
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said the company plans to test an AI model running in the background to help baristas enter orders more accurately and efficiently while communicating with customers, with the goal of letting employees focus on conversation and speeding up service. Starbucks is also studying an identification technology that would recognize customers who opt into the service when they arrive at the store, then display a personalized digital menu and simplify the payment process. Niccol said the work is still at an early stage, and the company will test first, learn from the results, and then roll out viable solutions.
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Starbucks Considers Bringing AI Technology to Drive-Thru to Improve Order Accuracy and Service Speed IT Home Download the App for Exclusive Early Access October 30, 2026, 09:12:53 From Shandong Updated October 30, 2026, 09:24:11
IT Home, October 30: According to Bloomberg, Starbucks Corporation is considering introducing artificial intelligence technology at its drive-thru lanes.
The coffee chain's CEO, Brian Niccol, said on an analyst call on Thursday local time that the company plans to test an AI model running in the background to help baristas "enter orders more accurately and efficiently" while communicating with customers. The goal of the initiative is to allow employees to focus on interacting with customers while also improving service speed.
Starbucks is also researching an identification technology that can recognize customers who participate in the service when they arrive at a store, then display a personalized digital menu to them and simplify the payment process.
Niccol said: "This work is still in its early stages. We will test first, learn from the experience, and then roll out the feasible solutions."
IT Home notes that large chain restaurant companies have been testing artificial intelligence in drive-thru scenarios for years, but the technology has not yet been widely adopted across the industry. Burger King does not plan to broadly deploy its pilot AI ordering system, saying customers prefer to interact with humans. McDonald's is testing its own in-house solution, and the company says the system can save each store dozens of hours of labor per week, which can be reallocated to other tasks.
Starbucks reported quarterly results on Thursday that beat market expectations, with its strategy centered on store upgrades, service experience, and new product development continuing to pay off.
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