Wendy’s Partners With Google Cloud to Bring AI to the Drive-Thru

Wendy’s is partnering with Google Cloud to use its AI technology to revolutionize drive-thrus with “Wendy’s FreshAI.”

According to Wendy’s, 75-80% of its customers choose the drive-thru for their orders, providing an opportunity to positively impact a majority of the chain’s customers. Wendy’s plans to launch its first pilot of its AI system in June in the Columbus, Ohio area.

“Wendy’s introduced the first modern pick-up window in the industry more than 50 years ago, and we’re thrilled to continue our work with Google Cloud to bring a new wave of innovation to the drive-thru experience,” said Todd Penegor, President and CEO of Wendy’s. “Google Cloud’s generative AI technology creates a huge opportunity for us to deliver a truly differentiated, faster and frictionless experience for our customers, and allows our employees to continue focusing on making great food and building relationships with fans that keep them coming back time and again.”

“Wendy’s has always been at the forefront of innovation, and we’re thrilled to build upon our partnership with the company with our new generative AI technologies,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud. “Generative AI is fundamentally changing how people interact with brands, and we anticipate Wendy’s integration of Google Cloud’s generative AI technology will set a new standard for great drive-thru experiences for the quick-service industry.”