In Year 3 of our Emerging Experiences Study with Intouch Insight (see more here)—also QSR magazine’s partner on the Drive-Thru Report—we decided to go visit next-generation restaurant locations and see how they’re really faring. How is game-changing tech, like AI at the drive-thru, being accepted by guests? Is it friendlier than employees? Faster? More accurate? In what ways does it need to evolve?
We mystery shopped brands in January during lunch and dinner, each 40 stores, to find out. But the study was not limited to voice AI. We also looked at mobile order for pickup in drive-thru/in-store, as well as in-store kiosk ordering using the 2025 Drive-Thru Report and 2025 On-Premises Study as benchmarks. Brands covered included Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Bojangles, Dutch Bros, Chipotle, Wingstop, McDonald’s, Shake Shack, and Panera Bread. Download the report below for the results.
