The quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector has long been defined by speed and precision, yet technological adoption at the point of sale has often lagged behind. Enter Hi Auto, whose AI-powered solutions are reshaping what’s possible in high-volume drive-thrus. Popeyes UK recently showcased this potential by winning the Best Use of AI category at the 2026 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards for its drive-thru AI Order Taker, powered by Hi Auto. The accolade reflects a shift in the industry toward customer-facing AI that doesn’t just support back-of-house operations but actively enhances the guest experience.

The awards, held January 21 at Pergola on the Wharf in London, also honored David Carey, Chief Technology Officer at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen UK, as CTO of the Year. Carey’s recognition underscores the brand’s commitment to digital transformation and innovation, placing Popeyes UK at the forefront of European QSR technological advancement. Among six finalists, including Burger King UK and Mitchells and Butlers, Popeyes UK stood out for its customer-facing AI system that handles live orders with remarkable accuracy and consistency.

Driving Operational Excellence Through AI

High-volume drive-thrus are notoriously challenging environments. During peak hours, staff must juggle order-taking, food preparation, and guest interaction, often under intense pressure. Popeyes UK deployed Hi Auto’s AI Order Taker to meet this operational pain point head-on. The system handles orders autonomously, allowing team members to focus on food preparation and hospitality.

“Our drive-thru teams used to juggle order-taking with food prep during rushes. Now they can focus on what they do best: delivering great food with great service,” said Carey. “This award validates what we've experienced firsthand: AI that genuinely makes both our team's lives easier and our guests' experience better.”

Carey also highlighted the collaborative effort behind the innovation: “This recognition belongs to our amazing Digital & Tech team who've embraced innovation and helped deliver industry-leading initiatives that are transforming how we serve our customers.”

The operational impact is tangible. Hi Auto’s AI Order Taker consistently achieves 93%+ order completion and 96% accuracy, even at scale. The technology frees teams to focus on core service delivery while maintaining speed and reliability during the busiest periods, an achievement that has historically proven elusive in the QSR industry.

Setting a New Standard for QSR Innovation

The Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards, now in their seventh year, drew over 120 submissions from leading European hospitality brands. The Best Use of AI category specifically recognizes implementations with measurable operational impact, emphasizing solutions that deliver both efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Hi Auto, the platform powering Popeyes UK’s AI Order Taker, operates across approximately 1,000 locations in the U.S., U.K., New Zealand, and Australia, processing over 100 million orders annually. Daniel Goldfeld, VP of Customer Success and Delivery at Hi Auto, celebrated the win: “We are very happy to see our partners at Popeyes UK being recognized for their forward-looking, innovative approach and operational excellence. They saw that AI could make their teams' lives easier and their guests' experience better, and they made it happen. We're honored to support their success.”

The recognition signals more than just an operational achievement; it illustrates how AI can be seamlessly integrated into the customer journey, driving efficiency without compromising the human element of service. By prioritizing customer-facing technology, Popeyes UK is redefining how the QSR industry thinks about AI adoption, proving that automation can enhancethe frontline experience, not replace it.

Pioneering the Future of Drive-Thru Service

Popeyes UK’s success with Hi Auto highlights a broader trend: QSR chains are increasingly investing in intelligent systems that balance speed, accuracy, and human interaction. As more brands explore customer-facing AI, those that adopt solutions with proven operational impact, like Hi Auto, will likely lead the charge.

For Popeyes UK, the awards affirm a strategy that merges innovation with practicality, demonstrating that AI can transform both the efficiency of operations and the quality of the guest experience.