I compared drive-thrus at McDonald's and Chick-fil-A and preferred the fried-chicken chain's human touches over AI — even though it took double the time

Grace MayerSep 7, 2023, 16:24 IST

I tested the drive-thrus at McDonald's and Chick-fil-A.Brandon Bell/Getty Images; Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

I visited McDonald's and Chick-fil-A to compare their drive-thru experiences.
Both chains are trying to speed up their drive-thrus with order-ahead options on their apps.

McDonald's and Chick-fil-A have both updated their drive-thrus in recent years. McDonald's has been adding AI-powered voice bots to its drive-thru lanes, while Chick-fil-A has been opening some drive-thru only locations, as the chains look to improve convenience and speed of service.

I recently tested drive-thrus at Chick-fil-A and McDonald's in Overland, Kansas to see how they compared.

McDonald's and Chick-fil-A are both using their mobile apps to drive loyalty and repeat visits, as well as speed up ordering in the drive-thru.

Chick-fil-A

Before I drove to Chick-fil-A, I placed my order ahead of time on the mobile app.

A screenshot of my Chick-fil-A mobile orderGrace Mayer

When I arrived at Chick-fil-A, I found a lengthy drive-thru line.

Grace Mayer

Some Chick-fil-A locations' drive-thru lines have gotten so busy that they've created traffic problems for nearby businesses.

Grace Mayer

The Chick-fil-A restaurant I went to in Overland Park, Kansas divided its drive-thru traffic into double lanes.

Grace Mayer

When I pulled up to the speaker, a friendly-sounding employee greeted me.

Grace Mayer

Chick-fil-A stations workers with iPads and mobile card readers throughout the drive thru.

Grace Mayer

It's clear that Chick-fil-A wants its employees to remain a key part of its drive-thru experience.

Grace Mayer

Although I ordered ahead, it still took around 10 minutes to receive my food.

Grace Mayer

Next, I ordered ahead on the McDonald's mobile app, then drove to the restaurant.

Grace Mayer

When I pulled up to McDonald's, I saw that the drive-thru featured double lanes, similar to Chick-fil-A's drive-thru setup.

Grace Mayer

When I pulled up to the speaker, I was greeted by an AI-powered voice bot.

Grace Mayer

A McDonald's employee waved me past the pay window, since I had already paid through the app.

Grace Mayer

McDonald's beat Chick-fil-A's wait time by about six minutes.

Grace Mayer

McDonald's has been working on improving the speed of its drive-thru lines since 2019.

Grace Mayer

Chick-fil-A has also said it's working to speed up its drive-thrus.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

My experiences at both fast-food chains showed how the brands are taking different routes when it comes to customer service in their drive-thrus.

A employee at McDonald's hands a customer his credit card and receipt behind a special piece of glass for protection after taking his order.Michael Siluk/Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

I tried Chick-fil-A's new honey pepper pimento chicken sandwich and caramel crumble shake. One time was enough for me.

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I compared drive-thrus at McDonald's and Chick-fil-A and preferred the fried-chicken chain's human touches over AI &mdash; even though it took double the time

McDonald's and Chick-fil-A are both using their mobile apps to drive loyalty and repeat visits, as well as speed up ordering in the drive-thru.

Before I drove to Chick-fil-A, I placed my order ahead of time on the mobile app.

When I arrived at Chick-fil-A, I found a lengthy drive-thru line.

Some Chick-fil-A locations' drive-thru lines have gotten so busy that they've created traffic problems for nearby businesses.

The Chick-fil-A restaurant I went to in Overland Park, Kansas divided its drive-thru traffic into double lanes.

When I pulled up to the speaker, a friendly-sounding employee greeted me.

Chick-fil-A stations workers with iPads and mobile card readers throughout the drive thru.

It's clear that Chick-fil-A wants its employees to remain a key part of its drive-thru experience.

Although I ordered ahead, it still took around 10 minutes to receive my food.

Next, I ordered ahead on the McDonald's mobile app, then drove to the restaurant.

When I pulled up to McDonald's, I saw that the drive-thru featured double lanes, similar to Chick-fil-A's drive-thru setup.

When I pulled up to the speaker, I was greeted by an AI-powered voice bot.

A McDonald's employee waved me past the pay window, since I had already paid through the app.

McDonald's beat Chick-fil-A's wait time by about six minutes.

McDonald's has been working on improving the speed of its drive-thru lines since 2019.

Chick-fil-A has also said it's working to speed up its drive-thrus.

My experiences at both fast-food chains showed how the brands are taking different routes when it comes to customer service in their drive-thrus.

I compared drive-thrus at McDonald's and Chick-fil-A and preferred the fried-chicken chain's human touches over AI — even though it took double the time