AI drive-thrus face regional hurdles in Asia adoption
Cost, cultural differences, and local infrastructure shape the integration.
The rise of AI in drive-thru services has drawn attention globally, but its adoption in Asia presents unique challenges, according to experts. Cost concerns, cultural factors, and regional infrastructure are influencing the rollout of AI-powered ordering systems in fast food.
Assistant Professor Jack Tong, Division of Information Technology & Operations Management, at Nanyang Business School, NTU Singapore, highlights that AI adoption is primarily driven by the need to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. However, this approach is better suited to markets like the US and Australia, where drive-thru operations are widespread.
“In Asia, like a single region, the operation of drive-through centres is still very limited. If the fixed cost of AI adoption is high, the advantage of cost reduction for such technology will be very minimal,” said Tong.
He added that the limited presence of drive-thrus makes scaling these AI technologies difficult. “Restaurants might need to balance between the cost reduction and also the investment for such large and advanced AI technologies,” he noted.
Dr. Samer Elhajjar, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing, NUS Business School, pointed out that AI systems need to adjust to local market conditions. “There are few key adjustments here that are needed. First, the language, the accent recognition systems that should be highly sophisticated to accommodate the wide variety of languages and dialects across Asian countries,” said Elhajjar.
Balancing speed with cultural norms is another challenge for AI-driven services. “Speed is very important, but for some Asian countries, rushing consumers can be seen as rude. AI would need to balance efficiency here with the local experience,” Elhajjar explained.
While the potential is significant, both experts agree that fast food brands must tailor AI strategies carefully. Tong concluded that businesses must assess whether the investment is justified by the returns, given the limited adoption of drive-thrus in Asia. Elhajjar remains optimistic, noting that in markets like Singapore, where drive-thrus are more common, AI “could be a big hit.”
