McDonald’s has launched a new AI initiative with Google Cloud: the aim is to improve order accuracy and avoid downtime using Edge AI. Meanwhile, Samsung and Grubbrr are offering a managed service solution for smaller QSR operators, where customers only pay a monthly fee if the ROI is positive.
The Wall Street Journal and other media report that McDonald’s is upgrading its 43,000 restaurants with AI-driven drive-thrus, IoT-enabled kitchen equipment, and AI-powered management tools. To achieve this, the QSR giant is parting ways with its previous partner, IBM, and forming a new partnership with Google Cloud. The goal is to enhance the experience for both employees and customers while improving operational efficiency.
Edge AI complements Cloud
Together with Google Cloud, McDonald’s wants to install local AI computers, particularly in remote locations with unreliable internet. Rather than being sent to the cloud, data will then be processed and analyzed directly in the restaurant. After months of testing in select branches, McDonald’s is now preparing for a broader roll-out of this edge AI technology.
Digital Signage integrators are familiar with the challenges of interactive cloud based AI tools, which require very ultra-low latency. Delays in system feedback can quickly frustrate both staff and customers, who are frustrated by anything that takes longer as it does on their phones.
Voice AI in the drive thru
McDonald’s has already experimented with Voice AI in drive-thrus in the past but saw mixed results. By replacing former partner IBM with Google, McDonald’s hopes to achieve more accurate results and a more acceptance, especially from customers. One of the issues in the past was that the AI misinterprented quantities, leading to incorrect or inflated orders. Filtering out background noise remains a major challenge. In the digital signage space, Voice AI solutions are provided by specialized companies like UK-based Sodaclick who has just launched an Arabic-speaking version that it plans to bring to the Gulf region.
Improved operational efficiencies with AI
In the kitchen, Edge AI is to be used to monitor food preparation using computer vision. McDonald’s also wants to use the same technology to recognize license plates in order to provide customers with personalized offers. Cameras in ordering kiosks will capture customers’ facial expressions to measure their satisfaction. All digital devices in the kitchen and the restaurant – from digital signage displays to kitchen equipment – are to be monitored and managed remotely. Using AI-enhanced remote device management, McDonald’s wants to enable managers and service providers to update important data in real time and avoid downtime through (pre-emptive) maintenance work.
Samsung and partner Grubbrr guarantee
To compete with McDonald’s and other global restaurant chains, Samsung US and partner Grubbrr (a sister company of ePos solution provider Touchsuite) offer smaller OSR operators an all-in-one solution based on Samsung Kiosk and Grubbrr restaurant management platform.
The highly standardized kiosk solution is designed to streamline operations, reduce wait times, increase order accuracy and drive higher revenue for businesses in the restaurant industry.
To encourage adoption, Samsung and Grubbrr guarantee a positive ROI—if not, clients don’t pay the monthly managed service fee. This offer is currently available to U.S. customers until May 2025.
Samsung VXT for Digital Menu Boards (DMB)
At U.S.-based sandwich chain Mr. Pickle’s, Samsung enhances its kiosk solution with VXT digital menu boards. By integrating Samsung’s VXT CMS platform with Samsung Kiosk and Grubbrr’s management system, restaurant operators can update menu items and pricing in real time from a single platform. This is supposed to ensure accuracy, flexibility, and a dynamic, modern in-store experience.
