Fast food titans Taco Bell, Pizza Hut going ‘AI-first’ with new innovations

Yum! Brands, the operator of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill restaurants, is embracing technology with plans for “AI-powered” fast food, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The company has been increasing investment in technology and automation, with about 45%, or $30 billion, of sales being digital – nearly twice what it was in 2019 – Yum’s chief digital and technology manager Joe Park told the newspaper. That is roughly double the level of 2019. 

“Our vision of [quick-service restaurants] is that an AI-first mentality works every step of the way,” Park told the Wall Street Journal. “If you think about the major journeys within a restaurant that can be AI-powered, we believe it’s endless.”

With California’s new minimum wage law taking effect Monday, meaning most fast-food workers will be paid $20 per hour, most restaurant operators are turning to AI to cut costs and increase sales, the Journal reported.

For fast-food giants like Yum, the use of AI is aimed at going beyond improving the customer experience. 

Yum has a mobile app for restaurant managers called SuperApp, which the Wall Street Journal reported is testing generative AI, allowing team members to ask operational questions like how to set oven temperatures.