Buying a burger when there’s a long line may soon cost more than at slower times, as demand pricing hits fast food.
Patrons of Wendy’s may soon pay varying prices for their burgers, as the fast-food chain intends to bring Uber-like surge pricing to its menu.
«As early as 2025, we plan to test a number of features such as AI-enabled menu changes and suggestive selling based on factors, such as weather, that we think will provide great value and an improved customer and crew experience,» a Wendy’s spokesperson told CBS News in an email.
The strategy involves so-called dynamic pricing — also known as surge pricing — which has the cost of a product or service fluctuating based on factors like rush hour and whether it’s raining.
Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner told an earnings call earlier this month that Wendy’s is investing $20 million to roll out digital menu boards to all U.S. company-operated restaurants by the end of 2025.
Wendy’s has rolled out its «Wendy’s Fresh AI» drive-thru in several restaurants, which uses generative AI to improve the speed and accuracy of the drive-thru, the CEO said.
