Burger King will use AI to check if employees say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’

Burger King is introducing an AI chatbot named "Patty" within its BK Assistant platform, delivered via employee headsets. This voice-enabled tool is designed to assist with meal preparation and, crucially, evaluate employee interactions for friendliness by recognizing specific words like "please" and "thank you." The system was trained based on feedback from franchisees and guests. According to Thibault Roux, Burger King’s chief digital officer, Patty is intended as a coaching tool, and the company is working on capturing conversational tone as well. Patty, powered by OpenAI, integrates data across drive-thru conversations, kitchen equipment, and inventory, allowing employees to ask operational questions and alerting managers to stockouts or maintenance needs. While Burger King is testing AI drive-thrus in under 100 locations, they are proceeding cautiously, noting that not all guests are ready for fully automated ordering. The BK Assistant platform is slated for a full US rollout by the end of 2026, with Patty currently piloting in 500 restaurants.

(Source：The Verge)