Burger King’s AI Headset Will Listen to Employees and Report Rudeness

Burger King is testing a new AI assistant that will live in employees’ headsets and help with both work and customer service. The chatbot, called Patty, is part of the BK Assistant platform and can guide employees on cooking, cleaning, and even tracking inventory. It will also monitor whether staff are using polite phrases like “please” and “thank you.”

Thibault Roux, Burger King’s chief digital officer, told The Verge that the AI was trained using feedback from both guests and franchisees. Managers can ask Patty to report on how friendly staff are during interactions. “This is all meant to be a coaching tool,” Roux said, adding that the system is still learning to detect the tone of conversations.

Patty is powered by OpenAI and can answer questions like how many strips of bacon go on a Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper or how to clean the shake machine. The AI is also connected to the restaurant’s cloud point-of-sale system.

Roux explained, “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 piloted in 500 locations, Burger King is cautious about launching AI drive-thrus on a large scale. The technology is currently being tested in fewer than 100 restaurants. Roux said, “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.”

The full BK Assistant platform, including a web and app version, is expected to roll out to all U.S. restaurants by the end of 2026. Patty’s headset pilot aims to improve customer interactions, assist staff in daily tasks, and make restaurant operations run more smoothly.

This AI headset is an interesting experiment. It could help employees improve service, but having a system listen to every word could also feel intrusive. What do you think about AI monitoring politeness at work? Share your thoughts in the comments.