Starbucks Eyes AI‑Powered Personalized Drive‑Thru Menus

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced during its recent earnings call that the company is exploring AI‑driven experiences for its drive‑thru lanes.

The plan is to use technology that can identify a customer as they pull up, present a digital menu customized to their past orders and preferences, and streamline the payment step.

While the company has not yet rolled out a full pilot, it intends to test the feature in a handful of locations before a broader launch.

If the system works as intended, it could shave seconds off each order and give Starbucks richer data on buying habits.

The announcement fits into a wider trend of coffee chains using AI to enhance the retail experience, and the company is expected to share more details in future updates.