Hi Auto signs dDeal with Bojangles Drive-Thru restaurant chain

Israeli startup Hi Auto, which has developed an AI-based voice assistant for taking orders in Drive-Thru restaurants, has signed a multi-year agreement with the successful American restaurant chain Bojangles. Bojangles has decided to deploy Hi Auto's voice assistant, which takes Drive-Thru orders accurately and consistently, freeing restaurant staff to handle other tasks. The agreement follows a successful pilot in dozens of restaurants. Currently, the majority of orders at the American chain are placed through Drive-Thrus.

Founded in 1977, Bojangles specializes in Southern cuisine. The chain operates 800 Drive-Thru restaurants across the U.S. and reported an increase in average branch income to $2.2 million annually. Bojangles is rapidly expanding in New York, California, and Texas, aiming to grow to over 1,000 restaurants.

Hi Auto's system, now the leading company in the U.S. in this field, combines conversational AI with human input, achieving an accuracy level of over 95%. It understands complex menus, can interpret customers' incomplete sentences, different accents, multiple and detailed requests, and track changes made by the customer during the conversation. The high quality of Hi Auto's order-taking made it the first company to successfully deploy this technology on a large scale.

Bojangles employees in the U.S. refer to Hi Auto's system as Bo-Linda and regard it as an outstanding team member. Drivers arriving at the fast-food restaurant's ordering station 'converse' naturally with Bo-Linda, who takes their orders, understands their components, offers upsells in a human voice, and transfers the order details to the kitchen. The voice assistant has significantly changed the technological perception of the network's employees, who see it as a valuable team member rather than a threat to their jobs. Bo-Linda also 'converses' directly with team members, who can update it on missing items and wait times, and then communicates this information to customers, ensuring a smooth and pleasant purchase process.

Hi Auto's voice assistant has already been installed in over 75 Bojangles locations and is expected to be operational in more than 200 Bojangles restaurants by the end of the year.

Roy Baharav, co-founder and CEO of Hi Auto, said, "We believe in technology that works alongside human capabilities. Our AI solution is designed to empower employees, not replace their skills and expertise. Automating routine tasks frees up valuable time for employees to build meaningful relationships with customers and speed up meal preparation. Additionally, it allows Bojangles to continually control, measure, and improve the ordering experience."

Richard Del Valle, CIO of the American restaurant chain Bojangles, commented, "A quality work environment that empowers employees and allows them to perform their jobs reduces turnover and enhances the customer experience. We identified the opportunity to use Hi Auto's technology to improve the employee experience, which in turn improves the customer experience. Bo-Linda takes orders without human intervention 96% of the time, and the workload it removes from the team improves employee satisfaction and allows them to focus on enhancing the customer experience."

Hi Auto was founded in 2019 by Roy Baharav (formerly of Unit 81 and Google), Eyal Shapira (Talpiot program graduate, Unit 81, and serial entrepreneur), and the late Zohar Zisapel. The company currently employs 40 people in Israel, Europe, and the U.S., and an additional 60 support staff, mainly in Asia.