McDonald's is giving its 43,000 restaurants a technology makeover, starting with internet-connected kitchen equipment, artificial intelligence-enabled drive-throughs and AI-powered tools for managers, reported the Wall Street Journal.

McDonald's goal, according to the WSJ, is to “drive better experiences for its customers and workers who today contend with issues ranging from broken machines to wrong orders, according to Brian Rice, the Chicago-based burger giant’s chief information officer.”

“Our restaurants, frankly, can be very stressful. We have customers at the counter, we have customers at our drive-through, couriers coming in for delivery, delivery at curbside. That’s a lot to deal with for our crew,” Rice said in an interview. “Technology solutions will alleviate the stress.”

McDonald's reportedly tapped Google Cloud in late 2023 to bring more computing power to each of its restaurants—giving them the ability to process and analyze data on-site. The setup, known as edge computing, can be a faster, cheaper option than sending data to the cloud, especially in more far-flung locations with less reliable cloud connections, said Rice.

Edge computing will enable applications like predicting when kitchen equipment—such as fryers and McFlurry ice cream machines—is likely to break down, Rice said. According to WSJ, McDonald's has “begun installing sensors on kitchen equipment that will feed data to the edge computing system and give franchisees a ‘real-time’ view into how their restaurants are operating. AI can then analyze that data for early signs of a maintenance problem.”

McDonald's is also exploring the use of computer vision, the form of AI behind facial recognition, in store-mounted cameras to determine whether orders are accurate before they’re handed to customers, wrote the WSJ.

“If we can proactively address those issues before they occur, that’s going to mean smoother operations in the future,” Rice said.

McDonald's began rolling out edge computing to some U.S. restaurants in 2024, the company said, and “plans to include more this year,” but declined to say how many restaurants currently have edge cloud connectivity, and when the process will be completed, per WSJ.

In 2024, Wendy's ran an extensive AI ordering (FreshAi) test in a single restaurant in Dublin, Ohio, and then gradually expanded its FreshAi menu ordering platform to other locations, reported Forbes. “Over the course of a year, the AI system improved through iterative development, incorporating crew and customer feedback. Now deployed in nearly 100 restaurants across 18 states, FreshAi is proving its value in streamlining operations and enhancing the guest experience,” wrote Forbes.

The QSR is also reportedly actively exploring other generative AI applications beyond FreshAi to enhance both customer and crew experiences.