Chick-fil-A wants to keep humans at the forefront of its business model.

Several major fast-food giants, including Taco Bell, have been embracing AI. In a press release, Taco Bell confirmed it is using voice AI for its drive-thru service to improve the customer experience by increasing order accuracy and lowering wait times, while improving efficiency for team members. QSR Magazine reports that more than 890 of its U.S. restaurants in at least 38 states use the technology.

“We’ve even seen reduced team member turnover in high-usage AI locations, proving that thoughtfully implemented AI can not only support team members, but improve restaurant culture,” Dane Mathews, Taco Bell’s global chief digital and technology officer, told the outlet.

Other fast-food restaurants following suit with similar AI technology, per Canopy, include:

  • McDonald’s
  • Wendy’s
  • Dairy Queen
  • Bojangles
  • KFC
  • Pizza Hut

One notable omission is Chick-fil-A. CNBC reports that the fast-food restaurant, which generated an estimated $23.9 billion in sales in 2025 across its nearly 3,000 locations, has opted out of using AI voice ordering in its drive-thru lanes. CEO Andrew Cathy said the company will prioritize a “human plus” mindset as it thinks about technology.

“From our experience, we really want that hospitality to be human to human,” Cathy told CNBC. “We’re not gonna substitute that interaction with technology, because we feel like that hospitality is so important to create that warm environment for consumers.”

However, he added he is considering “all the possibilities” for improving customer experiences.

“We think about all these new things into the future, about how will people want to receive food in the future?” Cathy said. “As you think about drone delivery and all the other kind of things that could be coming, it’s a fun time in the industry, to think about all the possibilities of what we can do to make a better experience for our guests.”

Chick-fil-A reportedly remains ahead in customer satisfaction, and only recently saw Jersey Mike’s edge above it as the top-rated quick service restaurant, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, per CNBC.