McDonald's is removing artificial intelligence (AI) powered ordering technology from its drive-through restaurants in the US, after customers shared its comical mishaps online.

A trial of the system, which was developed by IBM and uses voice recognition software to process orders, was announced in 2019.

It has not proved entirely reliable, however, resulting in viral videos of bizarre misinterpreted orders ranging from bacon-topped ice cream to hundreds of dollars' worth of chicken nuggets.

McDonald's told franchisees it would remove the tech from the more than 100 restaurants it has been testing it in by the end of July, as first reported by trade publication Restaurant Business.

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[–] 35 points 2 weeks ago* (6 children)

“Because it’s 2024. 2026 models are way better!”

“What do you mean each order costs $3 in tokens? We pay those employees $6 per hour!”

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  • [–] [S] 10 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

    If only they could cool data centers with coca cola /s

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  • [–] 8 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

    That's what they are using the ice cream machine for.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 2 weeks ago* (2 children)

    How? It's broken.

    LOL I know for a fact when the "ice cream machine doesn't work" it either ran out of 'milk'... cuz refilling requires pouring a 2 gal bag of sugary milk into the top end the chances of spilling and making a massive mess are pretty high.

    Or they didn't do cleaning cycle and it's won't turn on until they do.

    Go to Diary Queef if you want ice cream.

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  • Datacenters is why their coffee is so hot.

    ...

    Actually it is interesting why scalding coffee is better for the fast food business

    Slows cooling: High heat buys time for commuters.

    Masks bitterness: Extreme heat numbs taste buds temporarily.

    Hides cheap beans: Lower-grade coffee tastes better when hot.

    Prevents complaints: Customers rarely complain about coffee being too hot.

    Reduces returns: Cold coffee gets sent back.

    Reduces refills: Customers cannot chug boiling liquids.

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