By Rick Hynum
Little Caesars has taken digital ordering to a new level with an AI breakthrough that’s the first of its kind for a QSR brand.
The chain says its customers can now order pizza using ChatGPT and functionality from the Little Caesars app. The first-of-a-kind feature is rolling out nationally across all Little Caesars markets in the U.S. and many restaurants in Mexico and Canada.
According to a press release, this new capability “transforms the pizza-ordering experience” by letting customers use conversational AI to plan meals, receive personalized recommendations, and customize orders—all in ChatGPT. Customers can look for special deals and get personalized suggestions based on their preferences, which ChatGPT will learn over time.
It’s the kind of technological leap you’d expect from Domino’s, which has led the way in online ordering tech for more than a decade. It still does, of course, but in this case, Little Caesars has made one of the industry’s first moves into a new frontier, demonstrating a willingness to try something bold and different. ChatGPT now has more than 900 million weekly active users.
“Today’s consumers are turning to GenAI as part of how they search for everything, including where to get their next meal,” said Greg Hamilton, Little Caesars’ chief marketing officer. “We recognize this shift and want to meet our customers where they already are and be the go-to for their pizza occasions.”
The company said that customers start by opening ChatGPT, visiting the app directory, searching for “Little Caesars,” and connecting their account. They can then start a conversation, describe what they’re craving, and let ChatGPT and Little Caesars handle the rest. “The process is as natural and intuitive as having a conversation,” Hamilton said in the press release.
But you have to find the app directory first. After a cursory search for it on my paid ChatGPT account, I asked the AI tool, “Where’s the app directory?” The response was, well, candid:
FYI, I found the app directory in the left sidebar under “More,” opened it, ran a search on Little Caesars, and the restaurant’s app popped right up. However, the app wouldn’t stay connected and never provided a chat box. According to ChatGPT, that means I “likely don’t yet have the ability to launch it as a chat agent.”
Here’s a link to a video that shows how the app works for customers where the rollout has already taken place.
According to Little Caesars, the system helps to “ensure a seamless handoff from ChatGPT to the Little Caesars app for checkout and in-store pick up. [It] can understand customer preferences, how many people are being fed, dietary needs, budget constraints and delivery preferences – then craft personalized meal recommendations instantly.”
“From a technical standpoint, this app in ChatGPT demonstrates the power of connecting enterprise restaurant systems with large language models,” said Anita Klopfenstein, the chain’s global chief information and digital officer. “We’ve built a sophisticated backend that enables ChatGPT to access our menu, pricing and store locator data in real-time while maintaining security and compliance standards. This is just the beginning of how AI will transform the restaurant industry.”
Customers will need a Little Caesars account to place an order via the ChatGPT app. Existing Little Caesars rewards accounts can be linked to the ChatGPT app, and points, digital deals and saving will carry over, ensuring customers get credit for every order they place.
