Starbucks could eventually show you a personalized menu before you reach the speaker at the drive-thru. During an earnings call on Thursday, CEO Brian Niccol said the company will explore “experiences that recognize participating customers as they arrive, present personalized digital menus, and make payment more effortless.” The remarks were first spotted by More Perfect Union.

When Will Starbucks Personalized Drive-Thru Menus Launch?

Starbucks has not said when shoppers might see the change. Niccol called the effort “early,” and said the company will “test, learn, and scale what works.”

The idea resembles work already underway elsewhere in fast food. Taco Bell is experimenting with digital menu boards that could change the layout, content, and visuals “on a car-by-car basis.” McDonald’s has also shown off an AI-powered feature it is piloting at a handful of drive-thrus. The feature lets its “ArchIQ” chatbot identify repeat customers and let them order their “usual.”

How Will Starbucks Use AI at the Drive-Thru?

Starbucks plans to bring AI into its operations in other ways, too. Starting in 2027, the company will test background AI models at the drive-thru to help baristas “input orders more accurately and efficiently,” Niccol said. Starbucks also intends to integrate AI into the Starbucks app’s search and discovery features. The company said it may later allow “conversational and agentic” ordering.

Some of those tools are already in customers’ and employees’ hands. Starbucks has begun letting customers place orders through ChatGPT. It has also rolled out an AI-powered tool called Green Dot Assist, which employees can use to ask questions about things like recipes and service standards.

The company has not released details on how the personalized menus would identify customers or what information would be used to tailor them. For now, the drive-thru experience remains the same for most shoppers, and the timeline for a wider rollout is unclear.

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