GoKawiilStarbucks to test AI that recognizes drive-thru customers in 2027
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol told investors on the company's fourth-quarter 2026 earnings call that it will test AI models at drive-thru lanes during fiscal 2027, aiming to recognize repeat customers as they approach and surface personalized digital menus with suggested orders. Drive-up customers make up about half of Starbucks' business, and Niccol said AI would help input orders more accurately while baristas focus on talking with customers. Starbucks did not specify the recognition technology, testing locations, or any effect on prices.
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The plan could speed up service and boost per-order spending by nudging customers toward add-ons, which may matter for a chain whose sales partly hinge on drive-thru efficiency. Because Starbucks hasn't said whether it would use facial recognition, license plates, or app-based detection, the rollout raises open questions about consent and privacy that regulators or customers could later scrutinize. The move also fits a broader pattern of Starbucks layering AI tools, like Green Dot Assist and Smart Queue, into daily operations.
- Starbucks will test AI-driven drive-thru ordering during fiscal year 2027, ending September 28, 2027.
- The system may recognize repeat customers and offer personalized menus with suggested purchases.
- Starbucks has not disclosed the recognition method, test locations, or consent/opt-out procedures.
Source: cnet.com — Alex Valdes, 2026-11-03
Published there as: “Starbucks Drive-Thru AI Could Know What You Want Before You Do”
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