Chili's prioritizes WiFi and tablets over AI for restaurant upgrades

Chili's, through its parent company Brinker International, is prioritizing fundamental technology upgrades over the adoption of advanced artificial intelligence applications, according to CIO Chris Caldwell. Caldwell stated that his focus over the past 2.5 years has been on overhauling restaurant WiFi systems and replacing thousands of handheld ordering devices.

While other restaurants are integrating AI for tasks like drive-thru order taking, Chili's has largely steered clear of such uses. Instead, the company has focused on improving food quality, service, and foundational tech. Caldwell mentioned that some restaurants lacked sufficient ordering tablets, and the existing system struggled to reliably send orders to the kitchen, leading to service delays.

To address these issues, Chili's has invested in deploying 23,000 iPads for order taking and is redesigning the software on these devices to enhance ease of use and speed up employee training. Additionally, WiFi access points have been replaced in all 1,200 of its U.S. restaurants to ensure sufficient bandwidth for in-store operations.

Caldwell clarified that Chili's is not entirely avoiding AI. Corporate employees at Brinker have access to Microsoft's Copilot, which has reportedly increased their efficiency. Caldwell himself uses AI for brainstorming, such as discussing the implications of table-side payment devices. Brinker is also evaluating several potential AI uses for restaurant operations, including estimating online order pickup times, with the primary criterion being whether it improves ease for staff or customers.