McDonald’s may soon have a new drive-thru employee: ArchIQ, the artificial intelligence-powered program that could be taking your order the next time you pull up to the Golden Arches.
The voice assistant, nicknamed Archy, is part of McDonald’s new Google-powered AI platform designed to speed up service and streamline restaurant operations. The technology was unveiled as part of McDonald’s > NEXT, the company’s new growth strategy introduced this week at its Worldwide Convention in Las Vegas.
A video shared by a well-known McDonald’s franchisee, known as McFranchisee on social media, shows Archy smoothly handling orders in both English and Spanish.
“We are currently in five test stores, having processed over 1M transactions with about 90 percent of orders completed without human escalations. Impressive for a new test,” McFranchisee said on X.
While the program remains in pilot phase, McFranchisee added that McDonald’s is already preparing for widespread adoption, saying “every McDonald’s in the U.S.” is receiving technology upgrades ahead of a potential rollout.
This marks McDonald’s second attempt at AI-powered drive-thrus. The company previously partnered with IBM to test automated order-taking at more than 100 restaurants, but ended the program in 2024 after deciding not to move forward with the technology.
“McDonald’s > NEXT is how we’ll unlock our next phase of growth and productivity, by bringing in more customers more often and improving unit economics,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a news release Monday.
The strategy also shifts corporate focus toward improving food quality, updating restaurant design and rethinking how customers experience service.
In a memo to employees, CEO Chris Kempczinski outlined the company’s priorities, which include “elevating taste and quality,” improving in-store efficiency, and creating better overall customer experiences. He also emphasized a renewed push to “redefine hospitality,” suggesting that McDonald’s wants to make interactions feel more personal and welcoming, even as more parts of ordering and service become automated.
“We’re raising the bar for our menu by improving quality and consistency at scale and innovating in spaces where we see growth potential and know matter to our customers, like chicken, beef and beverages. We’re creating feel-good moments for customers and crew by making our restaurants easier to run and more enjoyable to visit,” Jill McDonald, global chief restaurant experience officer at McDonald’s, said in a statement.
