ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WKBW) — Panera Bread is testing AI technology in drive-thru lanes at select bakery-cafes in the Rochester area.
The restaurant has implemented OpenCity’s proprietary voice AI ordering technology, which is called “Tori”, for drive-thru orders. The goal is to maximize efficiency and increase the speed of orders.
A release explains how the technology works:
"Tori is installed at these select locations and will take orders as normal at the drive-thru speaker, with Panera associates on standby to assist if needed to troubleshoot any issues. Drive-thru guests can pull up to their Panera drive-thru, place their order as usual with assistance from Tori and pay the Panera associate for their favorite menu items at the drive-thru window. The addition of this technology at the drive-thru will help to cut down wait times, improve order accuracy and allow associates to focus on freshly preparing guests’ orders."
The Panera Bread cafes in Greece, NY (800 Greece Ridge Center Dr) and Webster, NY (935 Holt Rd) are the first Panera locations to receive the new technology.
“At Panera, improving our guest experience is always our priority and we are using this innovative technology to help enable a faster, more accurate order for each of our drive-thru guests. The potential of AI drive-thru technology is incredibly exciting for us – we are eager to evaluate the performance of these tests and the possibility of expanding this technology in additional bakery-cafes."
