Overview

• Taco Bell has implemented voice‑AI ordering at more than 500 U.S. drive‑through locations since 2024.
• Customers have posted numerous videos showing misheard items, repeated prompts, system crashes, and trolling attempts such as a request for 18,000 cups of water that triggered a handoff to staff.
• Taco Bell acknowledges the shortcomings and says it will coach franchise teams, recommend close human oversight, and intervene when necessary.
• The company is reassessing where the tool is useful, noting that high‑traffic sites may be faster and more reliable with human order‑takers.
• Other chains are revisiting similar trials, with McDonald’s halting an initial test last year while continuing development and Burger King continuing to experiment.