Dive Brief:
- Presto has raised $10 million in capital during a funding round led by Metropolitan Partners Group. Remus Capital, Link Ventures and other strategic angel investors, such as the CEO of ElevenLabs, an automated voice platform, also participated, according to a Thursday press release.
- The funding will accelerate Presto’s expansion and production-scale deployments and allow it to innovate its artificial intelligence across the restaurant industry.
- After spinning off its tabletop technology business in 2024, Presto has focused on developing its voice AI tech for QSRs. The company has partnered with chains, including Taco John’s and Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, to provide Presto’s voice ordering technology at their drive-thrus. It also works with Wienerschnitzel, Captain D’s and Fazoli’s.
Dive Insight:
Despite a rough 2024 that included being delisted by Nasdaq, Presto used 2025 to expand its AI capabilities and innovate.
Last April, the company added a phone-ordering business offering automated voice technology for QSRs. In August, Presto hired Michael Chorey, founder of Wendy’s FreshAI system, to build Presto IQ.
The platform is an AI-native dynamic data system that uses integrated data sources to allow restaurants to personalize their offerings serving customers, crew and operators in real time, according to a press release.
Presto has also been working to improve its drive-thru AI system. In September, it partnered with ElevenLabs to roll out the latest generation of voice technology to drive-thrus that sounds more life-like to improve engagement, per a press release.
QSR chains, including Zaxbys, Church’s Texas Chicken and Bojangles, are increasingly turning to drive-thru AI to improve labor productivity.
Wendy’s said last year that it would deploy its Fresh AI technology across 500 restaurants. The burger chain saw improvements to order accuracy and efficiency, with employees able to focus on speed of service instead of just taking orders.
But not all chains have had the same success.
McDonald’s ended a test of IBM’s drive-thru voice in 2024, two years after reports surfaced that the technology was underperforming. Taco Bell, which rolled out a native voice AI system to more than500 restaurants as of last summer, is rethinking deployment of the system after reports of glitches and delays, according to The Wall Street Journal.
