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Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s partnering with AI companies to automate drive-thrus

Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY
·1 min read

CKE Restaurants Holdings, the parent company of fast food chains Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, is rolling out artificial intelligence at its drive-thrus.

The company is partnering with AI companies Presto Automation, OpenCity, and Valyant AI to automate voice ordering at participating drive-thru locations across the country, according to news releases. Carl's Jr. and Hardee's operate roughly 2,800 restaurants across 44 states.

The partnerships are meant to boost accuracy, speed, and revenue and help fast-food chains manage staffing shortages.

CKE chief technology officer Phil Crawford noted that a pilot program with Presto yielded positive results, with deployed stores recording a "significant" uptick in revenue thanks to the technology’s ability to upsell customers, according to a news release.

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In a February earnings call, Presto CEO Rajat Suri said the company’s AI "never forgets to upsell, and upsells better than a human." The company also lists Del Taco and Checkers as clients.

CKE is also using OpenCity’s voice ordering platform, Tori, and Valyant AI’s conversational AI platform, Holly, at select restaurants, according to news releases.

"The AI technology has transformed our drive-thru experience, providing us with a competitive edge in the market and helping us to better serve our guests," Crawford said in a Thursday news release from OpenCity.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s to roll out AI drive-thru ordering