Taco Bell puts AI drive-thru on hold after getting trolled with 18,000 water requests

Taco Bell is rethinking its ambitious rollout of AI-powered drive-thrus after viral videos showed just how easily customers can break the system.

Since 2023, the fast-food chain has introduced AI ordering at over 500 locations, aiming to speed up service and reduce mistakes. But the tech quickly ran into problems—mostly thanks to pranksters.

In one viral clip, a customer ordered 18,000 water cups, crashing the system. Another video showed the AI asking a customer what drink they wanted immediately after they’d ordered a large Mountain Dew—clearly not ideal.

Taco Bell’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Dane Mathews, admitted that while the technology has promise, it’s far from perfect. “Sometimes it lets me down, but sometimes it really surprises me,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “We’re learning a lot.”

Rather than ditching AI completely, Taco Bell is now leaning toward a hybrid approach, where staff oversee the system and jump in when needed—especially at high-traffic locations where human judgment can still outperform automation.

“We’ll help coach teams on when to use voice AI and when it’s better to monitor or step in,” Mathews added. So far, over two million orders have been processed using the AI, showing it still has potential in the right settings.

Voice AI remains part of Taco Bell’s long-term tech strategy, but its exact role is under review as the company balances innovation with practicality.

This shift comes amid growing public debate over AI in daily life. Earlier this month, Will Smith faced backlash for allegedly using AI to edit concert clips, and YouTube drew criticism for testing an AI-powered age verification system that could require users to submit ID.

For now, Taco Bell seems to be taking a more cautious route—still interested in AI, but no longer racing to replace humans behind the headset.