Customer Reports on AI and QSRs in 2024 – QuickByte

QuickByte

From the Front of the Drive-Thru Line:

What Are Customers Saying

Setting the Stage in 2024

In the world emerging from the shadow of COVID-19, coupled with the challenges of rapid inflation, customers are finding themselves re-evaluating their consumption of fast-food experiences. The pandemic has irreversibly altered dining habits, with an increased emphasis on contactless services, food delivery, and digital ordering systems. “The convenience of mobile orders and drive-thrus has become more of a necessity than a luxury,” remarks Jamie, a frequent fast-food diner.

However, as inflation bites, patrons like Alex note, “While I appreciate the innovation, I’m constantly checking prices. A meal that used to be a quick, cheap option is now more expensive than [mid-end restaurant]. If prices go up any more, I don’t think it will be worth it anymore.” This sentiment echoes across the customer base, as people grapple with the desire for convenience and the reality of tightened budgets. Amidst this background, the fast-food industry stands at a crossroads, balancing innovation with affordability, striving to remain a staple in the daily lives of its customers.

What are people saying about technology in QSRs?

As fast-food chains continue to innovate in a bid to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences, the integration of Artificial Intelligence into their services has sparked a wide range of reactions from the dining public. From digital kiosks, to app-based ordering experiences, and the future of AI-driven drive-thrus, the landscape of fast food is undergoing a significant transformation. The real question is, what do customers really think about all these changes?

“I think in-store kiosks are great!” states one Chicago native, “I always get the right order, and it’s so much faster than having to wait in a line.” When prompted about concerns for fast-food worker jobs they continued, “I always figured they just got shifted to the kitchen, so I’ve never worried about it.” A Houston native, Alisha, remarked “Fast food jobs just aren’t really appealing anymore. It’s too expensive out here to live on that pay, and kids would rather be chasing social media [fame].”

Anecdotally, this response was shared by nearly all respondents to QuickByte’s 2024 survey. The average consumer was happy about the improved experience that technology was providing, and while there was some general concern about the state of society and worker livelihood, replacement from AI was the least of the consumer’s concerns.

When asked about mobile apps, 80% of QuickByte’s respondents noted that they currently used an app for their preferred quick service restaurant. James said, “They got me to download the app for the coupons, and I mostly keep it for those. The convenience has really started to grow on me over the last few years though.”

When prompted about other possible fast-food futures, 95% of respondents answered favorably to the idea of a drive-thru where they speak to an AI agent instead of a human worker.

The remaining 5% that were unhappy at the idea of this frontier of digitization had the following to say:

“You can’t undervalue the human touch, if everything becomes AI, what are high school students going to do?”
“What if it gets my order wrong? If I want to talk to a manger will I still be able to?”
“I don’t want my data to be tracked”
“What if I have a question about allergy information?”
“I hate dealing with robots on the phone, it always takes forever for them to get me to do what I want.”
“I don’t like the idea that the company is going to make more money, and prices will still go up”

How does QuickByte Fit in here?

A significant number of customers appreciate the benefits that AI integration brings to the fast-food experience. The convenience of faster, more accurate orders and the allure of slowing down inflation seem to outweigh any concerns people have about the human element of the industry disappearing.

As a customer centric company, QuickByte strongly considered all of the data, and recognized that our product can start to handle the few remaining issues that customers have with AI in a restaurant.

We have the most human-like voice AI in the business. Fewer than 2% of users correctly identify that they are speaking to an AI agent, and our software can answer questions that many assume that a computerized system cannot, such as allergy information
People have bad experience with longer menu experiences, such as phone menus with their bank. Interactions with QuickByte are designed to keep you short and to the point, rather than in a circuitous menu.
QuickByte stores no information about any individual customer, leaving them nothing to be concerned about.
Users need to speak to an AI with agency. QuickByte will always have the option to pass unhappy customers to a manager (whether that is a human manager or digital is a question for your future restaurant).

If you’re interested in integrating the drive-thru of the future at your restaurant, get in touch with our team below.

*All quoted numerical figures are placeholders or estimates based on preliminary results. Please get in touch with our team to learn how our team’s estimates apply to your business.