Dairy Queen is putting an AI chatbot in its drive-thrus
Not a pilot. Dairy Queen just deployed AI chatbots across dozens of drive-thrus to upsell customers.
Why it matters
Fast food chains are moving beyond chatbot experiments to real-world deployment of AI order-taking systems. This represents a tangible, revenue-focused use case where AI directly impacts customer experience and transaction value—and reveals the infrastructure reality behind 'AI automation' (human-in-the-loop from offshore workers).
The key facts
10 to knowDairy Queen deploying AI chatbots across dozens of drive-thrus in US and Canada
Technology built by Presto, already in use at Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Taco John's, Fazoli's
Explicit goal: speed up service and encourage upsells ('add more food to orders')
Presto's chatbots partially staffed by human workers in Philippines (2023 Bloomberg report)
Follows successful test in 2024
Dairy Queen deploying AI chatbot across dozens of US and Canada drive-thrus
Presto (AI vendor) already working with Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Taco John's, Fazoli's
Use case: speed up service + upsell (encouraging larger orders)
Follows successful test in 2025
2023 reporting: Presto's system partially powered by human operators in Philippines
Go to the source
The Verge AItheverge.com
Publisher excerpt: Dairy Queen is becoming the latest fast food chain to get in on AI, as it's bringing a chatbot to dozens of its drive-thrus across the US and Canada. It aims to help speed up drive-thru service and "encourage customers to add more food to their orders," according to The Wall Street Journal.…