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McDonald's Makes a Major Change To How You Order

"Archy" makes it quick and easy to get your French fry fix.

By Erica Loop , Edited by Amanda Machado

Updated July 12, 2026

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The search for ways to stretch your fast food budget further may have gotten easier. McDonald's just announced a new way to make the customer's drive-thru experience more efficient. And thanks to a new AI-powered system, you could save time and money.

So how does this high-tech approach to ordering really work, and more importantly, how could it affect your next visit? Keep reading for the latest info on McDonald's AI drive-thru platform and how it might make getting a Big Mac, fries, and an apple pie more straightforward.

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What is McDonald's new AI ordering platform?

The fast-food giant recently revealed that it is testing a brand-new AI ordering platform at drive-thrus. Instead of ordering from a human employee, customers will interact with artificial intelligence.

Known as ArchIQ, the new system is a collaboration between McDonald's and Google. ArchIQ (affectionately dubbed "Archy") will greet customers, take orders, process requests or changes, display the order, and prompt customers to move to the pickup window. In other words, everything that a real employee used to do.

"Archy," the chatbot, can take orders in both English and Spanish, and is reportedly 90% accurate. If you think that 90% just isn't good enough, consider human accuracy. Everyone makes mistakes, including AI chatbots.

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How will customers order at McDonald's using AI?

Not tech-savvy? Don't worry. You won't have to download a complicated app or order online just to use this new system. Like ChatGPT and other familiar AI platforms, "Archy" is a chatbot.

According to a video shared by a McDonald's franchisee, customers will see their chat on a digital screen and hear the AI assistant during the ordering process. This makes it easy to order your meal quickly. Of course, the AI chatbot can't make your Big Mac or hand you a coffee. Those are still human-only jobs. At least, for the time being.

How could AI ordering affect your fast food budget?

While the AI platform doesn't necessarily equal lower prices, the added value to McDonald's as a company could potentially drive costs down. If this is the case, it could impact your wallet.

McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski recently shared a corporate statement, "Customers also depend on us for compelling, predictable value, and even more so with unprecedented inflation. While perceptions of our value have rebounded in most markets, it's a reminder that we need to earn, and re-earn, each and every visit."

Kempczinski continued, "We can't ask our customers to choose. Hospitality or speed. Great taste or convenience. Value or quality…They won't trade one for another because they don't have to."

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Is this the first time McDonald's has taken a high-tech approach?

While "Archy" is new to McDonald's, this isn't the first time the company has explored an AI-assisted ordering alternative.

In 2021, McDonald's partnered with IBM to test an innovative AI-driven platform as part of the company's "Accelerating the Arches" strategic growth plan. Ultimately, the Automated Order Taking tech partnership failed. But at the time, the company didn't rule out using AI again.

In a 2024 statement, McDonald's said, "Our work with IBM has given us confidence that a voice ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurant's future." And as it turns out, two years later, the company would take another stab at an AI drive-thru assistant.

Is the new AI ordering platform already in drive-thrus?

As of now, McDonald's is only testing "Archy" ArchIQ in five U.S. locations. But that doesn't mean it won't eventually come to a drive-thru near you. The second attempt at an AI-driven ordering process is part of the company's latest strategy, NEXT.

Kempczinski said of NEXT, "NEXT is how we'll unlock our next phase of growth and productivity, by bringing in more customers more often and improving unit economics." In addition to automating the drive-thru experience, the business strategy reportedly includes menu upgrades, improvements to in-store technology, and a new prototype for store remodels.

Are other fast food chains using AI?

McDonald's isn't the only fast food chain exploring an AI ordering platform. Wendy's rolled out its FreshAi drive-thru system in 2024 to "free up team members to focus on making the connections that keep our customers coming back."

Yum! Brands (which owns Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC) partnered with Nvidia to create an artificial intelligence platform for automated order-taking, computer vision-enhanced operations, and an AI-backed analytics agent for restaurant managers.

But the list doesn't end there. Dairy Queen, Papa John's, White Castle, and Checkers/Rally's have all explored AI ordering technology to increase efficiency, promote customer satisfaction, and eventually cut costs.

Don't miss: 8 clever ways to save money so you can still afford to eat out

Bottom line

You already use AI systems to schedule appointments, make Amazon returns, and compose emails. So why not use one of these high-tech platforms to order chicken nuggets and a Coke?

When it comes down to it, saving money is a top reason for choosing McDonald's over other eateries. While some critics panned the idea of automated ordering, if the system makes it easier to keep more cash in your wallet, the futuristic drive-thru could eventually prove popular with budget-conscious consumers.

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