Burger King has announced the rollout of a new AI-powered chatbot, named 'Patty', which will listen to employee interactions with customers at drive-thrus to detect the use of polite language such as 'please' and 'thank you'. The system, part of a platform called BK Assistant, is powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT and is currently being piloted in 500 US restaurants, with a full rollout planned by the end of 2026.
The move has sparked backlash online, with critics describing it as 'gross' and 'peak late-stage corporate behaviour'. However, a Burger King spokesperson clarified that the system is not designed to track or evaluate individual employees, but rather to help managers understand overall service patterns and provide coaching insights. The spokesperson emphasised that it is a coaching and operational support tool, not about scoring individuals or enforcing scripts.
In addition to monitoring language, the BK Assistant platform can alert managers to remove unavailable items from digital menus, assist staff with recipe preparation, and even notify workers when the bathroom needs cleaning. The system listens to drive-thru interactions to promote order accuracy and provide real-time feedback.
The introduction of Patty comes over a year after McDonald's ended its own AI drive-thru experiment, which involved automated voice responses for taking orders. Burger King's approach focuses on monitoring human staff rather than replacing them, aiming to enhance hospitality through real-time insights.
