Burger King’s AI Headset Will Snitch on Employees Who Forget “Please” and “Thank You”

Burger King is rolling out a new AI assistant for its employees, and it’s not just for taking orders. The fast-food chain’s chatbot, named Patty, will live in the headsets employees wear and monitor how they interact with customers. Patty is part of the larger BK Assistant platform, which helps with everything from cooking instructions to tracking inventory.

Thibault Roux, Burger King’s chief digital officer, told The Verge that the company collected feedback from both guests and franchisees to figure out how to measure friendliness.

The AI is trained to listen for key phrases like “welcome to Burger King,” “please,” and “thank you.” Managers can then check with Patty to see how employees are performing in customer interactions. “This is all meant to be a coaching tool,” Roux explained. He added that the AI is also learning to understand the tone of conversations.

Patty is voice-enabled and powered by OpenAI. Employees can ask her practical questions, such as how much bacon goes on a Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper or how to clean the shake machine.

The system also connects to Burger King’s cloud point-of-sale network, so it can alert managers when a machine needs maintenance or when an item is out of stock. Roux said, “Within 15 minutes, the entire ecosystem will remove it from stock — whether you’re walking into a restaurant to order from the kiosk, whether you’re going to the drive-thru, the digital menu board will be updated.”

While Patty is being tested in 500 restaurants, Burger King is still cautious about AI drive-thrus. Roux told The Verge that the company is experimenting with the technology in fewer than 100 locations. “We’re tinkering with it, we’re playing around with it, but it’s still a risky bet. Not every guest is ready for this,” he said.

The full BK Assistant platform, which will include a web and app interface, is expected to roll out to all US locations by the end of 2026. For now, Patty’s headset pilot will give employees guidance, track friendliness, and assist with daily operations.

This move shows Burger King is serious about using AI to improve customer service, but it’s clear the company is taking a careful approach. It will be interesting to see if other chains follow suit with AI assistants for staff. What do you think about an AI monitoring employee politeness? Share your thoughts in the comments.