How Conversational AI Satisfies Customers’ Appetites at QSRs

Hospitality Tech also revealed in their findings QSRs and fast-casual restaurants’ goals for their technology investments. 39% wanted to improve employee productivity and retention, 35% targeted reduced costs, 35% selected support revenue-generating opportunities, and 31% prioritized improving e-commerce. 

The addition of voice assistants in the ordering process allows employees to focus on meal prep and customer service that requires a human touch, improving employee productivity. Voice commerce and monetization opportunities are the future of voice assistants and will generate revenue for QSRs while enhancing e-commerce and creating value for customers. QSRs and fast-casual restaurants are experiencing a shift in technology, with investments and adoptions for solutions that surpass their customers’ needs. 

Customers demand new features for their QSR experience

Long gone are the days of waiting on hold, in slow lines, or having in-person ordering experiences be the only avenue for customers to get the delicious food they crave. Now, customers are demanding and finding value in additional features for their ordering. According to Hospitality Tech, 81% of customers demand the ability to pay via a mobile device, 78% want to preview the menu and nutritional information, and 69% want a mobile app.

The trend of mobile app ordering and payment has increased in recent years, and voice assistants are a natural extension of the in-app experience since the essential hardware—a microphone and speaker—are already built-in. Voice-enabled mobile apps have advanced filtering capabilities, able to sort through large catalogs of information, or menus, to find exactly what the customer is looking for. 

They also reduce typing and swiping, providing a simpler, faster, and more efficient experience by allowing customers to use just their voice to ask for what they want, even if they don’t know exactly what it is called or where it is on the menu. With a voice assistant, customers can ask for nutritional information as well, receiving details as if they were talking to an experienced and knowledgeable employee. 

These investments and adoptions of new solutions are paying off with customers noticing the improvement in service. The study by QSR magazine revealed that 58% of consumers considered mobile app ordering to be the most improved aspect of the fast-food experience since the start of Covid. Providing customers with the additional features and ordering methods that they demand will show a proactive response to feedback, fostering brand loyalty for returning customers and engaging new ones. 

Consumers expect accuracy and speed from drive-thrus

Another trend for restauranteurs is the increasing importance of a fast and accurate drive-thru experience. Customers on the go or those who are taking extra precautions around pandemic concerns want fast, accurate, and frictionless ordering experiences from their cars.

According to QSR Magazine, 89% of consumers said order accuracy was somewhat or most important to them in their drive-thru experience, with the speed of service next at 88%. The study also revealed that 35% of consumers were annoyed waiting to order at a drive-thru after 5 minutes and 22% after 2 minutes. Speed and accuracy are critical in the QSR industry, and without them, customers might grow frustrated with the brand or abandon it all together for a more competent competitor.

Voice assistants at QSRs increase speed and order accuracy through excellent customer service and advanced capabilities. Even though people often use voice assistants for basic tasks, such as setting timers, playing music, or checking the weather, they are actually capable of much more, living up to the AI part of their name. They can record compound and complex orders and are context-aware, so customers don’t have to lose patience by repeating information. With drive-thrus increasing in popularity, it’s essential that restaurants meet their customers’ requirements for superior service. 

QSRs see the need for personalization and privacy grow

Customers are demanding more from their ordering experiences, including personalization, while still being concerned about privacy. These two elements can sometimes seem at odds with each other. Handled carefully and with transparency to the user both personalization and privacy can be achieved to deliver excellent service. According to QSR Magazine, 43% of consumers love the idea of having the ability to manage dietary preferences and share them with the restaurants they order from, and 37% love the idea of receiving preference suggestions based on their order history.

Voice assistants are rapidly evolving with personalization at the forefront of the next step in the voice experience. For returning or loyal customers, voice-enabled kiosks, mobile apps, and phone ordering systems will be able to store dietary preferences and filter menu results based on nutritional information. They will also examine past order history and suggest a frequently ordered item or new options that are similar to the customers’ preferences. This level of personalization is engaging customers, creating an experience that is tailored to them with an extra level of convenience. 

Restaurants are also discovering the importance of privacy and data transparency with QSR Magazine revealing that 56% of consumers love being able to understand and control who has access to the data they share with restaurants. In the age of data hacks and personal information being sold to advertisers, consumers are especially wanting transparency about who is seeing their data.