McDonald’s tests ArchIQ AI at five U.S. drive‑thrus

McDonald’s is running a limited test of ArchIQ, an artificial intelligence system developed with Google that handles drive‑thru orders and monitors restaurant operations at five unnamed U.S. locations. The system is nicknamed Archy and was introduced at the company’s Worldwide convention.

Franchisee posts on X show ArchIQ greeting customers, processing order changes, displaying the final total and asking drivers to pull ahead for pickup. One demonstration showed the system taking orders in English and Spanish. A franchisee account reported that ArchIQ has processed more than one million transactions and that roughly 90% of orders were completed without escalation to staff; McDonald’s has not provided independent verification of those figures.

Franchisees say some U.S. restaurants are receiving Google Edge Cloud blades in preparation for the system. Beyond taking orders, ArchIQ can monitor kitchen workflows, alert managers to equipment problems such as freezer outages and flag potential bottlenecks that need attention. Franchisees also report a feature that can respond when repeat customers request their usual order; McDonald’s has not released technical details about how that feature works.

The test is part of McDonald’s growth plan called McDonald’s > NEXT, which the company intends to use to improve restaurant operations and unit economics. In its 2025 results, McDonald’s reported that systemwide sales to loyalty members across 70 markets rose 20% to nearly $37 billion, and 90‑day active loyalty users increased 19% to nearly 210 million at year‑end. In a company memo, CEO Chris Kempczinski wrote that more of the customer journey is becoming automated and that the change raises the standard for hospitality when customers do interact with crew.

McDonald’s previously ran a voice‑ordering pilot with IBM across more than 100 restaurants and ended that pilot in 2024 after customers reported order errors, including an incident in which a system reportedly added more than $250 worth of chicken nuggets. The company announced it would continue exploring voice ordering technology.

Other fast‑food chains, including Taco Bell and Wendy’s, have announced AI‑driven ordering pilots. Industry reports showed negative month‑to‑month drive‑thru traffic trends for several chains in 2025. Proponents of automation say systems like ArchIQ can free workers for other tasks and reduce errors in noisy drive‑thru lanes; some customers prefer interacting with human staff.

McDonald’s has not disclosed the identities of the five test locations, released detailed technical specifications for ArchIQ or provided a timetable for any wider rollout. The company has said the system aims to improve speed and accuracy while supporting both customers and crew.