Artificial intelligence could soon take your next McDonald’s drive-thru order.
McDonald’s is testing a new AI system that can chat with customers, take orders in multiple languages and help run restaurant operations behind the scenes — a move that could eventually bring the technology to drive-thru lanes across America.
The fast-food giant unveiled the system, called ArchIQ, during its Worldwide convention this week as part of a broader strategy to modernize restaurants and boost growth, Restaurant Business reported.
The technology, nicknamed Archy, is being tested at five US locations, though the company has not disclosed where those restaurants are located.
A demonstration shared by franchisee account McFranchisee on X showed the AI taking drive-thru orders in both English and Spanish.
The system peared to process requests smoothly, a notable improvement from McDonald’s previous attempt at AI ordering.
Every McDonald’s in the US is getting their Google Edge Cloud blades installed in anticipation of this rollout, the account posted.
[It has] processed over one million transactions with about 90 percent of orders completed without human escalations.
The new platform is being developed with Google and represents McDonald’s latest push into AI after an earlier effort fell flat.
The burger chain previously partnered with IBM to test AI-powered drive-thru ordering at more than 100 restaurants.
The program was scrped in 2024 after customers complained about mistakes, including unwanted menu items being added to orders.
However, the company made clear it had not given up on AI after ending the IBM partnership.
At the time, McDonald’s said it would continue exploring voice ordering solutions more broadly. Now, it pears ready to take another shot.
But ArchIQ is designed to do more than greet hungry customers at the speaker box.
The system can also monitor restaurant operations and alert managers to potential problems before they become bigger headaches, according to McFranchisee.
Archy will not only assist drive-thru orders but act as a master brain to help managers run a better restaurant. It’s like a personal assistant that alerts you to potential bottlenecks or issues, the account wrote.
The AI rollout is part of McDonald’s new growth plan, dubbed McDonald’s > NEXT, which aims to improve operations, attract more customers and increase efficiency across its restaurants.
McDonald’s > NEXT is how we’ll unlock our next phase of growth and productivity, by bringing in more customers more often and improving unit economics, CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a press release.
The company also teased restaurant upgrades and potential menu innovations as part of the strategy, though few details have been released.
McDonald’s has not announced when ArchIQ could expand beyond the initial test locations.
For now, most customers can still expect a human voice on the other end of the drive-thru speaker.

This story was originally published in June 2025.
Different wildlife species often interact indirectly, although we may not see it often.
This video shared by BDN Contributor Allie Ladd shows two turkey families, or broods, and two bucks in close proximity, sharing food and cover.
While these two species vary drastically, they are known to share the same habitats, sometimes sharing the same stands, to attain food and cover requirements.
During the brood-rearing season, turkey hens have specific habitat preferences, which include a mix of grassy openings and fields, field edges, and forest openings. Ideal vegetation will provide an umbrella-like canopy that offers protection from predators while allowing poults to move around more freely. Abundant insect populations are found in these open areas, which contribute to the protein-rich diets that young turkeys need for development.
In the spring and early summer, whitetail deer favor regenerating forests which provide ample vegetation like grasses, forbs and new browse on trees. Deer need the nutrients from these food resources after winter. Whitetail does also require these nutrients for the fawning period.
As the year progresses and the turkey brood ages, resource needs shift. Turkeys will use mature forests, especially those with oak and beech trees. Due to their greater mobility, they will select areas with roost trees, which are often pines, as an esce route from predators. Thicker stands will also provide better cover during inclement and cold weather.
Whitetail deer will similarly modify their habitat selection as fall nears. They will primarily consume acorns, but will also eat beech nuts, wild cherry seeds, twigs, buds and fruit.

Once the calendar is flipped to July, it is time to celebrate National Disability Pride Month. This year, residents in the Rochester area are invited to a free, community-wide celebration that you won’t want to miss…and the first 100 people even get free food!
READ MORE: The Viral ChatGPT Color Analysis Trend You Need To Try
Celebrate Disability Pride Month At This Free Celebration In Rochester On July 9th, 2026
The Arc Minnesota, Self-Advocates Minnesota Southeast, and the Region 10 Quality Council are hosting a Disability Pride Celebration on Thursday, July 9th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Cascade Lake Park in Rochester.
This event is all about honoring disability identity, culture, and joy. Here’s a few of the fun activities hpening that day:
Live music from a local DJ
Disability pride open mic
Adtive bikes and games
Disability pride bingo
and more
Free Food for the First 100 Guests At The Disability Pride Celebration in Rochester
Stop by the welcome table when you arrive on July 9th at the Disability Pride Celebration – the first 100 guests will score a free food truck meal.
Find more details about the Disability Pride Celebration in Rochester at their Facebook event page here.
Do you have an event hpening soon in Southeast Minnesota?
Townsquare Media cares about the community and we love working with nonprofits in our community to highlight their events and causes.
From on-air public service announcements, Reels on our social media platforms, on-air segments with our amazingly talented team, to emceeing your events, our Townsquare Cares promotions for nonprofits help elevate your cause to the most people.

The world’s biggest sporting event has officially made its way to North America, and the only thing bigger than the matches might be the snack lineups. Food brands are releasing limited-edition meals, activities, collectibles and treats just in time for the tournament.
From athlete-proved chips and drinks to soccer-shed comfort foods, here are the best World Cup and Team USA themed snacks to grab for your next watch party.
FIFA World Cup food items
McDonald’s
McDonald’s has launched both a breakfast and all-day FIFA World Cup Meal.
For the Rest-of-Day meal guests can choose between a Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets paired with medium fries, a medium drink and one of nine FIFA collectible cups.
The breakfast meal includes a choice of a Sausage McMuffin with Egg or Sausage Egg Biscuit, along with hash browns, a small drink and a collectible cup, according to McDonald’s.
The collectible cups feature soccer players including Team USA’s Christian Pulisic, England’s David Beckham, Brazil’s Ronaldinho Gaucho, France’s Thierry Henry, South Korea’s Son Heung-Min, Spain’s Lamine Yamal, Canada’s Alphonso Davies, Mexico’s Santiago Gimenez and, of course, McDonald’s purple mascot, Grimace.
While there are nine cups in total, some regions will feature talent-specific designs. Guests are encouraged to check with their local McDonald’s for availability.
Coca-Cola
As the official drink sponsor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Coca-Cola is going big with limited-edition World Cup bottles. Additionally, the beverage company has partnered with Panini to offer album sticker collectors a chance to score a sticker with the purchase of a promotional World Cup Coca-Cola bottle, the company shared on social media.
Lay’s
Lay’s could not pick a favorite team this year, so it released a globally inspired lineup of 40 flavors to celebrate the tournament. In the U.S., fans can grab three specific chip varieties:
Argentinian-Style Steak with Chimichurri
Brazilian-Style Garlic Sauce
Wavy French Onion Soup
The Argentinian-inspired flavor was tested and proved by Argentinian men’s team ctain and soccer icon Lionel Messi.
Powerade
Powerade, the official sports drink of the FIFA World Cup, is encouraging fans to stay hydrated while supporting their favorite teams. The company has introduced its Legacy Lineup, featuring three new flavors: Blood Orange Kick, White Gre Wave and Cold Berry Burst, according to Powerade.
Kraft Mac & Cheese
The classic boxed comfort food is getting a pitch-side makeover. Kraft Heinz has released soccer-shed noodles resembling soccer balls, cleats and fields.
Each box features the company’s original cheese sauce mix mac and cheese connoisseurs already know and love.
Auntie Anne’s
Auntie Anne’s has launched a soccer-inspired pretzel Pitch Pack. The box includes any two pretzel nugget flavors or mini dogs alongside two dips.
According to Restaurant Business, the chain has also rolled out limited-edition merchandise, including Nugget plushies wearing pretzel jerseys and soccer-themed scarves.
Wingstop
Wingstop is bringing pop-up experiences to host cities like Dallas and Toronto ahead of their scheduled matches. The House of Flavor pop-ups will feature food, live DJs, merchandise, free tattoos, barbers, nail artists and game-day watch parties, according to Wingstop.
Burger King
Burger King, the official sponsor of the Mexican National Team, has launched a campaign featuring Mexican soccer star Alexis Vega. The fast-food giant is offering limited-time $19.99 Match Day Bundles, available nationwide in the Burger King p, according to Restaurant Business Magazine.
Baskin Robbins
The ice cream chain’s Flavor of the Month is Fútbol Fireworks. The treat combines sweet cream soda-flavored ice cream and cherry-flavored sherbet, finished with blue raspberry swirls and green ple-flavored popping candy.
Buffalo Wild Wings
The sports bar chain is offering a limited-time menu inspired by global flavors, featuring six new international dipping sauces. Guests can order the Around the World Dip Flight to sample all six dipping sauces or the Around the World Sampler, which pairs the sauces with a choice of four petizers, according to Buffalo Wild Wings.
Plus, if you are looking for a place to watch the games, Buffalo Wild Wings will be broadcasting the matches live at locations nationwide.
Team USA-themed foods
Chips Ahoy!
The cookie is turning patriotic this summer to celebrate both Team USA and America 250.
Chips Ahoy! Crunchy Red, White & Blue Candy Blasts is a festive take on the classic cookie, according to an email shared with Deseret News.
The brand has also partnered with three U.S. national soccer stars to inspire new flavors:
Alex Morgan: Chocolatey Churro
Sophia Smith: Dulce de Leche
Christian Pulisic: Candy Blast
Sour Patch Kids
The candy brand has launched its own World Cup line: Sour Patch Kids Strikers. According to food blog Snackolator, the packaging features U.S. Men’s National Team star Christian Pulisic, and the candy comes in a brand-new black raspberry flavor.
Pringles
Pringles is bringing some heat to watch parties with its new Spicy Loaded Nachos flavor. The crisp features a blend of spicy jaleños and savory nacho cheese.
Pop-tarts
Pop-Tarts is bringing back a fan favorite this summer to celebrate Team USA and America 250: Star-Spangled Blueberry. The red pastry features a blueberry filling and is topped with white icing and festive red and blue sprinkles, according to All Recipes.
Town House
Town House’s original buttery cracker got a makeover for the World Cup and America 250. The company has brought back its U.S. flag-shed crackers, keeping the classic taste fans expect.
Cheez-It
The cheesy cracker is celebrating the World Cup festivities and Operation Homefront and America 250 with two new offerings.
First, Cheez-It is bringing back its star- and flag-shed crackers. Second, the brand is introducing a new flavor: Cheez-It Chili Cheese Dog, which features the heat of chili, creamy cheese and the flavor of a stadium hot dog.

A new lawsuit alleges recalled pet food caused bone disorders in five Oregon puppies and seeks damages to pay for their medical treatment.
Hazel’s House Animal Rescue, a Newberg-based foster shelter, filed a lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Monday asking for $150,000 from Revival Animal Health, the Iowa-based company it accuses of causing the puppies’ sickness. That money would help pay for orthopedic surgeries and other medical treatment, the animal shelter said.
We’ve put a lot of trust into a lot of different companies, said Brittany Hazel, the rescue’s founder and president. And it’s sad when things like this hpen, and it’s something that we entrusted would never hpen.
Revival takes complaints like this seriously, a spokesperson said, and was working toward a settlement with Hazel’s House before the lawsuit was filed.
The litter of nine newborn puppies — named Carol, Mike, Alice, Peter, Greg, Bobby, Jan, Cindy and Marcia, after TV’s The Brady Bunch — arrived at Hazel’s House in January after being found in a box next to a dumpster in Portland. They were exclusively fed Breeder’s Edge Foster Care puppy formula, a Revival product, according to the complaint. The formula was typically considered top of the line, Hazel said, and the rescue group had used that brand several times before.
Five of the puppies began struggling to walk when they were around 4 weeks old. According to the complaint, tests showed poor nutrition caused rickets, a disease in which dogs’ bones collse under their weight.
Hazel’s House stopped feeding the puppies the formula and filed complaints with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Revival. Meanwhile, vets ruled out other causes for the sickness, such as genetic diseases, according to the complaint.
FDA testing of the formula showed it contained variable levels of Vitamin D, which affects bone strength. Too much Vitamin D can also cause serious health issues, according to the FDA notice.
Revival voluntarily recalled the product in ril, citing the vitamin irregularity and two complaints of rickets.
Now, the 6-month-old puppies walk irregularly and have deformities on their legs that require surgery, Hazel said. But the animal rescue can’t afford extensive medical treatment on its own, she said.
A Revival spokesperson said the company takes the health and safety of animals seriously and that it started an investigation as soon as the rescue group informed it of the concerns. The company then initiated a voluntary recall, the spokesperson said, offering refunds or replacement products for any affected.
While testing has not linked our product to the puppies’ reported health issues, we were working with Hazel’s House and believed we were close to reaching an agreement that would provide immediate care for the puppies, and it is unfortunate that Hazel’s House ended our discussions despite our continued attempts to engage, spokesperson Nick Leasure said.
The animal rescue and Revival began negotiating in ril, Hazel’s attorney said. After several weeks without a satisfactory resolution, Hazel said, her shelter decided to file a formal lawsuit. The longer they wait, the more difficult and painful the surgeries will become, she added.
The rescue group also started a GoFundMe page, hoping to receive $100,000 in donations toward medical treatment. It’s collected about $4,400 as of Friday.