Artificial intelligence (AI) has been making its way into everything from healthcare to finance – and now, tacos. But as Taco Bell has found out, sometimes the future looks less like The Jetsons and more like a sketch from Little Britain.
Since 2023, Taco Bell has rolled out voice-powered AI ordering systems across more than 500 US drive-throughs. The idea was simple: fewer mistakes, quicker service. The reality? Well… let’s just say the AI has been serving comedy gold instead of chalupas.
Clips of its mishaps have gone viral. One customer “broke” the system by ordering 18,000 cups of water (hydration goals, anyone?). Another found himself in a loop where the AI just kept asking him to add more drinks, like an over-enthusiastic bartender who doesn’t take “no” for an answer. The internet’s favourite clip – with over 21 million views – shows a man ordering a large Mountain Dew, only to be asked, again and again: “And what will you drink with that?”
Taco Bell’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Dane Mathews, admits it’s been a mixed bag. “Sometimes it lets me down, but sometimes it really surprises me,” he told the Wall Street Journal. Which is reassuring, if you like your dinner with a side of suspense.
Of course, Taco Bell isn’t the first to discover that AI doesn’t always play nice with fast food. In 2024, McDonald’s scrapped its own AI drive-through experiment after some memorable blunders: bacon added to ice cream, and one poor soul accidentally saddled with hundreds of dollars’ worth of chicken nuggets. Imagine explaining that one to your bank.
But it’s not all chaos. Taco Bell says its AI has successfully processed more than two million orders, which shows that when it works, it works. The challenge is knowing when to trust the robot and when to let a human step in. As Mathews explained: “We’ll help coach teams on when to use voice AI and when it’s better to monitor or step in.” (Wall Street Journal)
The real lesson here? AI in customer service is brilliant in theory, but in practice it can be like asking a toddler to take your order: enthusiastic, occasionally accurate, but likely to misunderstand you in ways you’ll be laughing (or crying) about later.
For businesses, the takeaway is clear. AI can save time and money, but it’s not ready to replace people in complex, unpredictable situations – especially when every mistake has the potential to go viral. The brands that get this right will be the ones who blend efficiency with empathy, and remember that sometimes only a human can deliver the right flavour.
So yes, AI may be the future – but if you fancy a stress-free taco at 11pm, you might still want to place your order with a real person.
