Starbucks to test AI personalized menus at the drive-thru
Original title: Starbucks wants to use AI to show you a ‘personalized digital menu’ at the drive-thru
Background models to help baristas enter orders are planned to start testing in 2027, and app ordering may later become conversational.
On an earnings call, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said the company will explore recognizing participating customers on arrival, showing personalized digital menus, and making payment easier. Niccol said testing of background AI models at the drive-thru to help baristas enter orders more accurately begins in 2027. Starbucks also plans AI in app search and discovery and may add conversational, agentic ordering; it already accepts orders through ChatGPT and offers employees Green Dot Assist. Niccol called the menu work early and said the company will test before scaling.
Unconfirmed: Niccol did not give a date for personalized digital menu boards, only that the work is early.
- Niccol described recognition, personalized menus, and easier payment for participating customers.
- Drive-thru background AI for order entry is slated to begin testing in 2027.
- Customers can already order through ChatGPT, and staff use Green Dot Assist.
- The company may later add conversational and agentic ordering in its app.
- Products
- Green Dot Assist
- Organizations
- Starbucks
- AI models
- ChatGPT
From the original article
1 min read at theverge.com
Starbucks could eventually show you a personalized digital menu when you pull up to the drive-thru. During an earnings call on Thursday, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said the company is going to explore "experiences that recognize participating customers as they arrive, present personalized digital menus, and make payment more effortless," as spotted earlier by More Perfect Union.
By Emma Roth · theverge.com
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