Starbucks wants to explore personalized digital menus at the drive-thru
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Starbucks will explore experiences that recognize participating customers as they arrive at the drive-thru, show personalized digital menus and make payment easier, CEO Brian Niccol said. There is no timetable yet for the menus; Niccol said the initiative is still at an early stage and that the company plans to test, learn and scale what works. Starting in 2027, the chain will begin testing background AI models to help baristas enter orders more accurately and efficiently.
The company also plans to integrate AI into search and discovery in the Starbucks app and may offer conversational and agentic ordering in the future. Starbucks already allows orders through ChatGPT and has rolled out Green Dot Assist, an AI tool for employees. The plan resembles tests by Taco Bell and McDonald’s to adapt digital menus or recognize repeat customers at the drive-thru.
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The initiative could bring customer personalization and barista assistance into the same digital experience, but Starbucks says it is still at an early stage and will test what works before scaling. The possible adoption of conversational and agentic ordering will also depend on how the company conducts those tests.