Acquisition of Apprente forms the basis of new McTech Labs
McDonald’s announced a deal for the acquisition of Apprente, a conversational voice technology company based in Mountain View, California. The burger chain expects to incorporate the multilingual, multi-accent, and multi-item conversational capabilities into the drive-thru. Eventually, McDonald’s sees Apprente’s technology being incorporated into mobile and potentially kiosk ordering.
The acquisition of Apprente forms the basis for Mc Tech Labs and will help expand McDonald’s presence in the San Francisco Bay area. This acquisition follows the purchase of Dynamic Yield, helping incorporate customization and personalization into the McDonald’s drive-thru experience.
“Apprente’s gifted team, and the technology they have developed, will form McD Tech Labs, a new group integrated in our Global Technology team that will take our culture of innovation one step further,” said Steve Easterbrook. McDonald’s chief executive in a statement.
Wendy’s big on breakfast (again)
Wendy’s also made a big announcement. After its first ambitions surfaced in the summer of 2012 for national breakfast, the chain is relaunching the initiative with a $20 million investment. The nationwide rollout is slated for 2020.
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Photo credit: McDonald’s (featured photo), Eatery Pulse Streem (video)
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