SMRTR AIJun 7, 2026Reddit

McDonald's Introduces AI Drive-Thru System, Sparking Customer Backlash

SMRTR summary

A fast food giant wants to take your order, and it won't be a teenager in a headset.

McDonald's unveiled "Archy IQ" at its worldwide convention this week, an AI-powered drive-thru system built in partnership with Google. Currently testing in five locations, the system has processed over a million transactions, with roughly 90% handled without human help. It takes orders in English and Spanish, and reportedly even recognized one customer's request for his "usual."

But customers aren't loving it. Reactions on social media ranged from frustrated to furious, with one user warning, "Say goodbye to customers." Another put it simply: "No one wants this. We like dealing with smiling faces."

McDonald's isn't new to this territory. It scrapped a previous AI ordering system two years ago before selling its in-house model to IBM.

When Archy IQ expands beyond its five test stores remains unclear.

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