Imagine pulling into a Starbucks drive-through and finding a digital menu that already knows your favourite coffee, remembers how you like it and suggests what you might want next. You might not even need to tell the barista your order.
That is the future Starbucks is exploring as it turns to artificial intelligence to transform its drive-through experience, potentially allowing the coffee giant to recognise returning customers, remember their ordering habits and personalise menus depending on who is sitting in the car.
The ambitious plan could make grabbing a coffee faster than ever. But it also signals a bigger shift in how much businesses want to know about their customers, with Starbucks exploring ways to recognise returning members and personalise their experience before they even reach the ordering window.
Starbucks Wants To Know Your Usual Before You Say a Word
After the company's latest quarterly results, Chief Executive Brian Niccol shared his vision for a system that could give customers something close to a 'fast pass' at the drive-through.
When customers pull into the lane with the Starbucks app open, it could display their recent orders, allowing baristas to ask a simple question: 'The usual?'
Once customers confirm their order, 'It's paid,' Niccol told. 'Now you're off to the window to pick up your drink, and out you go. It'll be the fastest drive-through experience you can have.'
To order ahead, pay in the app or earn Stars, you already need a Starbucks account. The proposed system would use that link to spot returning customers and speed up their orders.
But Starbucks is eyeing something bigger than remembering your usual latte.
Digital Menus Could Change Depending on Who's in the Car
During an earnings call, Niccol said the company would explore 'experiences that recognise participating customers as they arrive, present personalised digital menus, and make payment more effortless'.
In other words, the menu displayed at the drive-through could eventually look different depending on the customer pulling up.
Rather than showing every driver the same selection of drinks and promotions, Starbucks could tailor recommendations to individual customers based on their previous interactions and preferences.
It is not yet clear when personalised digital menu boards might arrive. Niccol stressed that the technology remains at an early stage, saying the company would 'test, learn, and scale what works'.
Starbucks is also planning to begin testing background AI models at its drive-throughs in 2027. These systems are intended to help baristas enter orders more accurately and efficiently, rather than replace them.
The company is exploring AI-powered search and discovery features in its app, alongside the possibility of conversational and 'agentic' ordering, which could allow customers to interact with AI when deciding what to buy.
It has already started allowing customers to place orders through ChatGPT and introduced Green Dot Assist, an AI-powered tool that helps employees answer questions about recipes and service standards.
Starbucks Joins the Race To Build the AI Drive-Through
The coffee giant is not alone in trying to make ordering more personal. McDonald's has been demonstrating ArchIQ, an AI-powered feature being tested at selected drive-through locations that can identify returning customers and allow them to order their usual.
Taco Bell is also experimenting with technology that could change the layout, content and visuals of digital menu boards on a 'car-by-car basis'.
The emerging competition suggests fast-food chains are no longer interested only in getting customers through the queue faster. They also want to use technology to understand individual preferences and encourage people to spend more.
For customers, that could mean fewer questions, shorter waits and recommendations that actually match their tastes. However, it also raises questions about how much personalisation people are comfortable with when businesses start using customer information to shape what they see and buy.
The Bigger Prize Is Starbucks' Loyal Customers
Starbucks now has a record 36 million active loyalty members, counted over a 90-day period in the latest quarter. These customers matter: they help fuel orders and sales, which rose 7.2 per cent in the fourth quarter.
The company is also facing growing competition from drive-through-focused chains such as Dutch Bros, 7Brew and Scooter's Coffee.
Afternoon sales are another opportunity Starbucks wants to pursue, with more customers looking for caffeine boosts and smaller treats later in the day.
TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles described the afternoon as a key area for growth, predicting greater investment in new beverages and marketing. He also pointed to caffeine-free Refreshers as a way to attract younger customers and families.
By connecting its app, loyalty programme and AI-powered ordering systems, Starbucks could make every drive-through visit feel more personal while encouraging customers to return.
The convenience might be hard to resist. But as coffee chains race to learn more about the people behind the wheel, one thing is becoming clear: your next Starbucks order might be ready before you've even said hello.
