The data: US consumers overwhelmingly prefer to have customer service interactions with humans, not AI, according to an August Ipsos survey.

• 64% strongly prefer human interactions when having their food prepared at restaurants, followed by 23% who somewhat prefer them.
• 74% somewhat or strongly prefer humans when ordering food at a drive-through, with a similar share saying the same about ordering fast food inside a restaurant.

The big picture: After years of investments in automation, several restaurant chains are putting a greater focus on human service.

• McDonald’s is preparing to undertake the largest upskilling effort in its history—with 2 million employees worldwide tapped for training—in order to deliver a more elevated and consistent experience that is compelling enough to convince diners to visit more regularly, Tiffanie Boyd, McDonald’s global chief people officer, told Nation’s Restaurant News.
• Wendy’s is also looking to improve customer service as part of a larger turnaround strategy, per The Wall Street Journal.
• Burger King recently reimagined the restaurant manager role in response to customer feedback, assigning these employees to greet visitors, act as “point people” for issues and concerns, and be a clearly identifiable brand representative.

Implications for restaurants and retail: Companies need to find a balance between technology and human-led customer service. While technology can help ease friction in the customer experience—such as making it easier to order and speeding up service—a positive interaction with a human employee can help boost loyalty and repeat visits.

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