McDonald’s Fired Its AI. Now It’s Back With Google’s.

Orders Processed

1 million

The number of orders processed by ArchIQ since its launch.

Employee Intervention Rate

90%

Percentage of orders completed without employee intervention.

Systemwide Sales Increase

$37 billion

Systemwide sales to loyalty members across 70 markets reported for 2025.

§ 01 Executive Snapshot

What: McDonald's launched ArchIQ, a Google-powered AI ordering system, at its Worldwide Convention.
Who: McDonald's, Google, franchisees, and previous partner IBM.
Why it matters: The introduction of ArchIQ signifies McDonald's commitment to enhancing drive-thru efficiency and customer interaction through AI, following a previous automated ordering failure.

ArchIQ has processed over 1 million orders, with approximately 90% completed without employee intervention.
The system is currently being tested at five U.S. locations and is part of McDonald's broader growth strategy called McDonald's > NEXT.
Every U.S. McDonald's location is receiving Google Edge Cloud blade installations to prepare for a wider rollout of ArchIQ.

McDonald's previously ended a partnership with IBM for automated ordering, removing the technology from over 100 restaurants in 2024, framing it as a learning experience.
The company emphasizes the importance of drive-thru sales, which account for 70% of U.S. sales, making accuracy and speed critical for revenue.

Immediate implications include improved order accuracy and speed, which are crucial for maximizing revenue in a competitive fast-food environment.
Long-term implications involve integrating AI with customer loyalty data to enhance the customer experience and operational efficiency.

Potential risks include the system's previous struggles with understanding different accents and dialects, which could hinder customer satisfaction.
Competition from other delivery services, such as DoorDash, that are also integrating AI solutions for operational efficiency.

The timeline for broader deployment of ArchIQ beyond the five test locations is currently unspecified.
Future developments to watch include the impact of ArchIQ on sales figures and customer satisfaction metrics during the pilot phase.

§ 07

What is ArchIQ?

ArchIQ is a Google-powered AI ordering system launched by McDonald's to enhance drive-thru efficiency and customer interaction.

Why did McDonald's end its partnership with IBM?

McDonald's ended its partnership with IBM for automated ordering as a learning experience, removing the technology from over 100 restaurants.

How successful has ArchIQ been in processing orders?

ArchIQ has processed over 1 million orders, with approximately 90% completed without employee intervention.

When will ArchIQ be rolled out to more locations?

The timeline for broader deployment of ArchIQ beyond the five test locations is currently unspecified.