Audio By Carbonatix
Artificial intelligence (AI) supporters claim the technology is meant to make our lives easier. However, at least in the dining space, it’s making ordering meals infinitely more cumbersome. Namely, causing inconveniences that weren’t even there in the first place. This is what happened to one Krispy Kreme customer who rolled up in the drive-thru only to become frustrated.
What Happened At This Krispy Kreme?
In a viral TikTok, Madeleine (@braince11) shared a clip of a man trying to order at Krispy Kreme. The person filming sits in the passenger seat as the man grunts in frustration.
“I’m gonna lose my s—,” the man says, his hands thrown up in the air. Behind him, Krispy Kreme’s AI replies, “No worries.”
The man then slowly enunciates every single word as he orders “six original glazed donuts.” From his tone, one can tell this isn’t his first time trying to place his order.
The AI confirms his order, yet only adds 1 donut to his total. “Would you like anything else?” it prompts.
“You only have one on there listed,” the man says. The AI, again apologetic, asks if he would like to change it to 6 donuts instead.
“Holy f—-,” he replies. “Yes!”
It seems the AI gods have deemed that the man has been through enough because at this point, an actual Krispy Kreme worker comes on.
“Hi, I’m gonna take over,” she says.
The clip then cuts off.
Viewers Are Skeptical Of AI
Madeleine’s clip earned over 3.2 million views in just a few days, with several commiserating with the man’s plight. The workers’ eventual takeover amused some viewers.
“‘Hi… im gonna take over’ probably busting up laughing inside,” one said. Madeleine responded that they asked whether workers can hear customers ordering with the AI. “She was like ‘I hear everything,’” the TikToker wrote.
Others mentioned the ubiquitous line about AI replacing workers and how this was proof that it wasn’t going to be so easy.
“So ai taking our jobs they say,” one wrote while another added, ““AI is gonna take our jobs’ and it can’t do a donut order.”
AI, at its core, is about curtailing work. With this debacle proving otherwise, one user wrote, “Whats the point of the ai if it needs a babysitter anyway.”
AI In The Dining Space
This isn’t the first time AI has “messed up” a customer’s order in the drive-thru. A White Castle customer’s order mistakenly rang up to $15,400 in the AI-powered drive-thru.
Last month, a Taco Bell customer went viral after they crashed the system by ordering 18,000 water cups. Another clip was viewed 26 million times after a customer “crashed out” while trying to order Mountain Dew. This led the chief digital and technology officer at Taco Bell to admit that integrating AI had its “challenges.”
“Sometimes it lets me down, but sometimes it really surprises me,” Dane Mathews told The Wall Street Journal.
McDonald’s also began removing its AI from its drive-thrus after failures with orders. Last year, the BBC reported that the Golden Arches chain released a statement after mishaps kept happening: “After thoughtful review, McDonald’s has decided to end our current global partnership with IBM on AOT [Automated Order Taking] beyond this year.”
AI may have come a long way in 2025, especially with upgrades to folks’ beloved ChatGPT, but it seems it hasn’t quite hit the mark in the fast-food industry.
@braince11 have you ever had a krispy kreme
BroBible reached out to Madeleine via TikTok direct message and Krispy Kreme via email