As artificial intelligence rapidly moves into drive-thru lanes across America, Chick-fil-A is drawing a line in the technological sand: Some things still need a human touch.
Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy says the restaurant chain does not intend to replace its human drive-thru order takers with voice AI, even as some of its biggest fast-food competitors move toward automated ordering.
“From our experience, we really want that hospitality to be human to human,” Cathy told CNBC, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. “We’re not going to substitute that interaction with technology, because we feel like that hospitality is so important to create that warm environment for consumers.”
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, McDonald’s plans to test a voice AI system called Archy in English and Spanish, while Wendy’s is deploying its Google Cloud-powered FreshAi system.
To order Don Colbert’s new book, Live Long and Strong, visit Amazon.com.
But Chick-fil-A’s emphasis on people over machines is hardly a new philosophy.
More than two decades ago, Charisma reported on Chick-fil-A Chairman Dan Cathy’s approach to hospitality.
“We’ve got to take care of our people in order to serve great food,” Cathy said.
This customer-first approach has not changed over time. Instead, it is intertwined with the company’s Christian roots. As Charisma previously reported, Dan Cathy said in 2023 that Chick-fil-A remained grounded in its corporate purpose to “glorify God” and “have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Chick-fil-A.”
And sometimes that human interaction has gone far beyond simply handing someone a chicken sandwich.
Earlier this year, Charisma reported that a Chick-fil-A manager in San Antonio went viral after walking through the dining room praying and encouraging customers to “stick to God.”
Chick-fil-A is not rejecting technology altogether. FOX 5 noted that the company uses technology to improve efficiency, including an elevated Georgia drive-thru equipped with four lanes and a conveyor system.
In an age racing to automate nearly everything, perhaps there are some things an algorithm cannot replace.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Abby at abbytrivett.com.
