<div id="readability-page-1"><figure> <img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/mcdonalds.webp/query-Y3JvcD0wLDAsMTAwLDEwMCZxdWFsaXR5PTkwJnN0cmlwPWFsbA?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="5123" height="3415" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/mcdonalds.webp/query-Y3JvcD0wLDAsMTAwLDEwMCZxdWFsaXR5PTkwJnN0cmlwPWFsbA"/> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about how AI is seeping into our daily lives, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. <h2>How it started</h2> In 2021, McDonald's became one of the first major fast-food chains to greet customers with an AI chatbot at the drive-thru. It started small, deploying the voice-ordering technology at 10 of its locations in Chicago. McDonald's developed its drive-thru tech after acquiring Apprente, a startup focused on voice-based, conversational technology in 2019, and later wor … Read the full story at The Verge.</div>

EATZ

McDonald's introduced AI chatbots at drive-thrus in 2021, starting with 10 locations in Chicago. This technology was developed after acquiring Apprente, a startup specializing in voice-based conversational tech. The integration of AI in fast food is just the beginning of its impact on daily life.

Chatbots at the drive-thru are just the beginning