Yum! Brands to Expand Voice AI Technology to Hundreds of Taco Bell U.S. Drive-Thru Locations in 2024, with a Future Vision to Bring the Technology to Its Brands’ Drive-Thrus Around the World
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) is expanding Voice AI technology across Taco Bell drive-thru locations in the U.S., aiming to reach hundreds of stores by the end of 2024. The company plans to implement this technology globally in the future. Currently deployed in over 100 Taco Bell U.S. drive-thrus across 13 states, the Voice AI system is designed to:
- Enhance back-of-house operations
- Improve order accuracy
- Reduce wait times
- Drive profitable growth
The technology integrates with Taco Bell's digital menu boards, Yum! Brands' Poseidon POS system, and the upcoming Taco Bell Rewards loyalty program. In 2023, Yum!'s digital sales approached $30 billion, with over 50% of sales coming through digital channels in Q1 2024.
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) sta espandendo la tecnologia Voice AI nei punti di ritiro Taco Bell negli Stati Uniti, con l'obiettivo di raggiungere centinaia di locali entro la fine del 2024. L'azienda prevede di implementare questa tecnologia a livello globale in futuro. Attualmente, è già attiva in oltre 100 punti di ritiro Taco Bell negli Stati Uniti, distribuiti in 13 stati, e il sistema Voice AI è progettato per:
- Migliorare le operazioni interne
- Aumentare la precisione degli ordini
- Ridurre i tempi di attesa
- Generare una crescita profittevole
La tecnologia si integra con i pannelli digitali del menu di Taco Bell, il sistema POS Poseidon di Yum! Brands e il prossimo programma di fidelizzazione Taco Bell Rewards. Nel 2023, le vendite digitali di Yum! hanno raggiunto quasi 30 miliardi di dollari, con oltre il 50% delle vendite provenienti da canali digitali nel primo trimestre del 2024.
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) está expandiendo la tecnología de IA de voz en los puntos de venta de Taco Bell en EE. UU., con la meta de alcanzar cientos de locales para finales de 2024. La empresa planea implementar esta tecnología a nivel global en el futuro. Actualmente, está en más de 100 puntos de venta de Taco Bell en EE. UU. distribuidos en 13 estados, y el sistema de IA de voz está diseñado para:
- Mejorar las operaciones internas
- Aumentar la precisión de los pedidos
- Reducir los tiempos de espera
- Impulsar el crecimiento rentable
La tecnología se integra con los menús digitales de Taco Bell, el sistema POS Poseidon de Yum! Brands y el próximo programa de lealtad Taco Bell Rewards. En 2023, las ventas digitales de Yum! se acercaron a los 30 mil millones de dólares, con más del 50% de las ventas provenientes de canales digitales en el primer trimestre de 2024.
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM)은 미국의 Taco Bell 드라이브 스루 매장에서 음성 AI 기술을 확장하고 있으며, 2024년 말까지 수백 개 매장에서 도달할 계획입니다. 이 회사는 미래에 이 기술을 전 세계에 적용할 계획입니다. 현재 미국 13개 주의 100개 이상의 Taco Bell 드라이브 스루에 배치되어 있는 음성 AI 시스템은 다음과 같은 목적으로 설계되었습니다:
- 백오피스 운영 개선
- 주문 정확도 향상
- 대기 시간 단축
- 수익성 높은 성장 이끌기
이 기술은 Taco Bell의 디지털 메뉴판, Yum! Brands의 Poseidon POS 시스템 및 곧 출시될 Taco Bell Rewards 로열티 프로그램과 통합됩니다. 2023년에는 Yum!의 디지털 판매가 300억 달러에 달했으며, 2024년 1분기에는 50% 이상이 디지털 채널을 통해 이루어졌습니다.
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) développe la technologie Voice AI dans les points de vente Taco Bell aux États-Unis, avec l'objectif d'atteindre des centaines de établissements d'ici fin 2024. L'entreprise prévoit d'appliquer cette technologie à l'échelle mondiale à l'avenir. Actuellement déployé dans plus de 100 points de vente Taco Bell américains répartis dans 13 États, le système Voice AI a été conçu pour :
- Améliorer les opérations internes
- Rendre les commandes plus précises
- Réduire les temps d'attente
- Stimuler une croissance rentable
La technologie s'intègre aux panneaux de menu numériques de Taco Bell, au système POS Poseidon de Yum! Brands et au prochain programme de fidélité Taco Bell Rewards. En 2023, les ventes numériques de Yum! ont atteint près de 30 milliards de dollars, avec plus de 50 % des ventes provenant de canaux numériques au premier trimestre 2024.
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) erweitert die Voice AI-Technologie in den Taco Bell Drive-Thru-Standorten in den USA und zielt darauf ab, bis Ende 2024 Hunderte von Filialen zu erreichen. Das Unternehmen plant, diese Technologie zukünftig weltweit einzuführen. Derzeit ist sie in über 100 Taco Bell Drive-Thrus in 13 Bundesstaaten aktiv, und das Voice AI-System wurde entwickelt, um:
- Die internen Abläufe zu verbessern
- Die Bestellgenauigkeit zu erhöhen
- Die Wartezeiten zu reduzieren
- Rentables Wachstum zu fördern
Die Technologie integriert sich mit den digitalen Menütavlen von Taco Bell, dem Poseidon POS-System von Yum! Brands und dem kommenden Taco Bell Rewards Treueprogramm. Im Jahr 2023 nähern sich die digitalen Umsätze von Yum! 30 Milliarden Dollar, wobei über 50 % der Verkäufe im ersten Quartal 2024 über digitale Kanäle erzielt wurden.
- Expansion of Voice AI technology to hundreds of Taco Bell U.S. drive-thrus by end of 2024
- Potential for global implementation across Yum! Brands
- Improved order accuracy and reduced wait times
- Integration with existing digital ecosystem
- Digital sales approached $30 billion in 2023
- Over 50% of sales through digital channels in Q1 2024
- None.
Insights
Yum! Brands' expansion of Voice AI technology in Taco Bell drive-thrus marks a significant step in the fast-food industry's digital transformation. This move aligns with the broader trend of AI integration in customer-facing operations, potentially setting a new standard for quick-service restaurants.
The technology's ability to improve order accuracy and reduce wait times could lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, the real game-changer lies in its potential to optimize back-of-house operations. By easing the task load for team members, Voice AI could help address labor shortages and improve employee retention - a critical issue in the fast-food sector.
From a technological perspective, the integration of Voice AI with Taco Bell's existing digital ecosystem - including digital menu boards, the Poseidon POS system and the upcoming loyalty program - creates a comprehensive digital infrastructure. This holistic approach could provide Yum! Brands with valuable data insights, enabling more personalized customer experiences and informed business decisions.
The global ambition to implement this technology across all Yum! Brands' drive-thrus worldwide indicates a long-term commitment to AI-driven operations. This could potentially lead to significant cost savings and operational efficiencies at scale, provided the technology proves consistently reliable across different markets and languages.
However, it's important to monitor potential challenges such as customer acceptance, especially among older demographics and the system's ability to handle complex orders or unusual requests. The success of this rollout could influence AI adoption trends across the entire quick-service restaurant industry.
Yum! Brands' investment in Voice AI technology for Taco Bell drive-thrus presents a compelling case for potential long-term value creation. The company's digital sales approached
The expansion to hundreds of Taco Bell locations by the end of 2024 indicates a significant capital expenditure. While this may impact short-term profitability, the long-term benefits could be substantial. Improved order accuracy and reduced wait times could drive higher customer satisfaction, potentially leading to increased visit frequency and average ticket size.
From an operational standpoint, the technology's ability to ease task loads for team members could result in labor cost optimizations. This is particularly relevant given the current inflationary pressures on wages in the fast-food industry. Moreover, by freeing up staff to focus on hospitality, Taco Bell could enhance its competitive positioning in a crowded market.
The global ambition for this technology across all Yum! Brands suggests economies of scale could be achieved in the long run. This could lead to improved margins across the company's portfolio, not just for Taco Bell. However, investors should be mindful of the initial investment required and potential implementation challenges across different markets.
While the immediate financial impact may be , the long-term potential for revenue growth, cost savings and improved profitability makes this a noteworthy development for Yum! Brands' future performance. Investors should closely monitor the rollout's progress and its impact on key financial metrics in the coming quarters.
The Company’s expansion of Voice AI will modernize its drive-thrus and elevate the experience for consumers and restaurant team members alike
Yum! Brands to Expand Voice AI Technology to Hundreds of Taco Bell
The rollout of Voice AI technology in Taco Bell, currently in more than 100 Taco Bell
“Yum! Brands is integrating digital and technology into all aspects of our business with exciting new capabilities, and AI is a core piece of that strategy,” said Lawrence Kim, Chief Innovation Officer, Yum! Brands. “We’re expanding and accelerating our AI capabilities like Voice AI to deliver leading-edge technologies to our franchisees and to enhance the consumer and team member experience. With over two years of fine tuning and testing the drive-thru Voice AI technology, we’re confident in its effectiveness in optimizing operations and enhancing customer satisfaction.”
Yum! Brands and Taco Bell have collaborated closely, including incorporating input from Taco Bell franchisees, so that Voice AI benefits both team members and consumers. This technology takes advantage of Taco Bell’s strong drive-thru customer experience ecosystem, which is powered by digital menu boards, Yum! Brands’ propriety Poseidon POS system and the next generation of the Taco Bell Rewards loyalty program which the brand is excited to integrate later this year. The Voice AI technology uses a holistic approach that leverages feedback, data, and insights to enhance consumer relationships with an emphasis on intuitive, user-friendly technology to create a seamless ordering experience.
“Innovation is ingrained in our DNA at Taco Bell, and we view Voice AI as a means to improve the team member and consumer experiences,” said Dane Mathews, Chief Digital & Technology Officer, Taco Bell. “Tapping into AI gives us the ability to ease team members’ workloads, freeing them to focus on front-of-house hospitality. It also enables us to unlock new and meaningful ways to engage with our customers.”
In addition to the expansion of Voice AI across Taco Bell
Yum! Brands has been both acquiring and creating technologies, and in select cases working with leading partners, powered by its global scale that enable and accelerate easy experiences, operations and insights for consumers and team members while driving profitable growth for franchisees. The Company has made massive strides in scaling its proprietary digital and AI-driven ecosystem in partnership with franchisees, equipping them with distinctive capabilities to differentiate its brands.
2023 marked a significant milestone for successfully scaling Yum! Brands' suite of proprietary technologies globally. In 2023, Yum!’s digital sales approached
About Yum! Brands
Yum! Brands, Inc., based in
About Taco Bell Corp.
For more than 61 years, Bell has brought innovative, craveable Mexican-inspired food to the masses, and was recently recognized as one of Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies, one of TIME’s Most Influential Companies, and Nation’s Restaurant News’ Brand Icon. For more information about Taco Bell, visit our website at www.TacoBell.com, our Newsroom at www.TacoBell.com/news, or check out www.TacoBell.com/popular-links. You can also stay up to date on all things Taco Bell by following us on LinkedIn, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240731239498/en/
Members of the media are invited to contact:
Rick Maynard, Yum! Brands, at 502-874-8200 or rick.maynard@yum.com
Natalie Hochberg, Taco Bell, 949-863-3915 or natalie.hochberg@yum.com
Source: Yum! Brands, Inc.
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