Marco's Pizza Tests Automated Voice-to-Text Ordering

Marco's Pizza has begun testing a proprietary voice-to-text ordering system in 50 of its stores around the country with the goal of a systemwide rollout by the end of 2022.

The speech-enabled application uses conversational artificial intelligence and yielded 100 percent order accuracy in initial beta testing as well as increased employee and customer satisfaction, according to the company.

The initial voice-to-order beta test started last summer before moving into the pilot. The system receives phone orders via voice and automatically translates the order via text into the point-of-sale system, alerting team members to begin filling the order. The technology understands both English and Spanish as well as a variety of accents, dialects, and colloquialisms.

"There are places where AI makes sense within the business, where it creates a better experience for both team members and guests," said Rick Stanbridge, senior vice president and chief information officer of Marco's Pizza, in a statement. "Not only does this technology offer franchisees a cost-effective, practical solution to reduce labor costs and drive results, but it provides support to team members while strengthening the guest experience."