McDonald's is testing a new Google-backed AI drive-thru system, ArchIQ, at five U.S. locations. The system handles orders and monitors restaurant operations, like freezer status. This follows a failed 2024 pilot with IBM that ended due to order errors. The test is part of the "McDonald's > NEXT" growth plan, as the company and competitors like Wendy's explore automation amid declining drive-thru traffic.
ArchIQ system capabilities
- ▪McDonald’s is testing a new AI drive-thru system called ArchIQ, nicknamed “Archy,” at five U.S. locations
- ▪The ArchIQ system has processed over one million transactions with a 90% success rate without human intervention, according to a franchisee account
- ▪The ArchIQ system can take orders in English and Spanish and can recognize repeat customers' "usual order."
- ▪A video demonstration showed the ArchIQ system greeting customers, processing order changes, and displaying the final total
Google cloud infrastructure deployment
- ▪U.S. McDonald’s restaurants are receiving Google Edge Cloud blades ahead of the ArchIQ system's rollout
- ▪The ArchIQ AI system is being developed in partnership with Google
Previous IBM pilot failure
- ▪McDonald's previously tested an automated ordering system with IBM across more than 100 restaurants, but ended the pilot in 2024
- ▪The IBM pilot was terminated due to customer complaints about order errors, including one instance of adding over $250 in chicken nuggets
Restaurant operations monitoring
- ▪The ArchIQ system can also identify and flag operational problems such as kitchen bottlenecks
- ▪Beyond ordering, ArchIQ can monitor restaurant equipment and alert managers to issues like a malfunctioning freezer
McDonald's growth strategy
- ▪In 2025, McDonald's systemwide sales to loyalty members grew 20% to nearly $37 billion, with active users rising 19% to almost 210 million
- ▪McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said increased automation raises the standard for hospitality when customers do interact with staff
- ▪The test is part of McDonald's "McDonald’s > NEXT" growth plan, aimed at improving restaurant operations and unit economics
Industry automation trends
- ▪Drive-thru traffic in 2025 was consistently negative, with monthly figures between minus 5% and minus 8%, according to QSR Magazine
- ▪Other fast-food chains, including Taco Bell and Wendy’s, have also announced AI-powered drive-thru ordering systems
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