Wendy's Extends Partnership with Google Cloud to Revolutionise the Drive-Thru Experience

Wendy's® and Google Cloud today announced an expanded partnership to pilot a ground breaking artificial intelligence (AI) solution, Wendy's FreshAI, designed to revolutionize the quick service restaurant industry. 

The technology has the potential to transform Wendy's drive-thru food ordering experience with Google Cloud's generative AI and large language models (LLMs) technology.

With 75 to 80 percent of Wendy's customers choosing the drive-thru as their preferred ordering channel, delivering a seamless ordering experience using AI automation can be difficult due to the complexities of menu options, special requests, and ambient noise. 

Google Cloud's generative AI capabilities can now bring a new automated ordering experience to the drive-thru that is intended to enhance the experience that customers, employees and franchisees expect from Wendy's.

"Wendy's introduced the first modern pick-up window in the industry more than 50 years ago, and we're thrilled to continue our work with Google Cloud to bring a new wave of innovation to the drive-thru experience," said Todd Penegor, President and CEO of Wendy's by adding that Google Cloud's generative AI technology creates a huge opportunity for them to deliver a truly differentiated, faster and frictionless experience for customers.

In June, Wendy's plans to launch its first pilot of Google Cloud's AI technology in a Columbus, OH-area, Company-operated restaurant, using those learnings to inform future expansions to more Wendy's drive-thrus. 

The pilot will include new generative AI offerings, such as Vertex AI and more, to have conversations with customers, the ability to understand made-to-order requests and generate responses to frequently asked questions. 

"Wendy's has always been at the forefront of innovation, and we're thrilled to build upon our partnership with the company with our new generative AI technologies," said Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud. "