Samsung’s Interactive Menu Boards to Augment SoundHound Voice AI at White Castle Drive-Thrus

The SoundHound-powered voice assistant taking orders at White Castle drive-thrus is getting some multimodal enhancement from Samsung and its MagicINFO interactive digital sign technology. The menu boards and voice AI will combine to offer enhanced service that customers can see is accurate as the AI transmits their requests to the kitchen.

Samsung Signs

“With White Castle Cravers everywhere hungry for our hot and tasty menu options, we are investing in processing orders at the drive-thru even more swiftly,” White Castle vice president of operations services Mike Guinan said. “By working with tech innovators at SoundHound and Samsung, we’ve been able to create an engaging ordering experience that customers are loving. It’s the model for tomorrow today – and evidence of how friendly technology and great partners can be a game changer.”

The experience for White Castle customers seeing the menu boards won’t change dramatically, as they will still be able to order from the drive-thru by conversing with SoundHound’s voice AI, including making changes mid-order and paying for the meal. The menu board will show the real-time additions and alterations to the order, assuring the customer it’s accurate before the list is relayed to the cooks, who prepare and serve it at the window per usual. SoundHound and Samsung said the AI drive-thru solution achieved impressive results during tests of the system, with an average order speed of a little under a minute and a 90% order completion rate. SoundHound and Samsung aim to make the AI drive-thru solution an easily repeatable and scalable format across the restaurant industry.

“With MagicINFO, Samsung is helping transform menu boards from simple, static displays to personalized, easy-to-navigate experiences for the customer that also deliver business benefits to the restaurant,” Samsung Electronics America senior vice president of the display and home entertainment divisions James Fishler said. “By integrating SoundHound’s AI-driven voice technology, we’re providing an extraordinary experience for White Castle customers when it comes to enjoying what they love. This is just the beginning of a relationship that will propel their brand to the cutting-edge of customer experiences powered by innovation.”

SoundHound’s Appetite

SoundHound and White Castle’s new arrangement with Samsung follows the announcement in August that SoundHound’s voice AI will reach more than 100 White Castle drive-thrus by the end of the year after a successful pilot in 2020. The expansion comes in the wake of SoundHound raising $100 million in strategic funding as it works on a long-term strategy built on partnerships like White Castle and new tools and features for its restaurant and automotive clients. That includes generative AI and Dynamic Interaction voice AI for business services. SoundHound previously predicted it would reach profitability and raised $25 million in equity financing in January after reducing staff from around 450 to 200 people in two rounds of layoffs.

“In uniting our extensive voice AI expertise with Samsung’s MagicINFO display technology, we’ve created a first-class interactive experience for White Castle’s drive-thru customers,” SoundHound Chief Product Officer James Hom said. “We look forward to finding new opportunities to partner to unlock the power of digital outdoor signage and turn menus into interactive restaurant portals with almost limitless possibilities.”

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