Imagine biting into a hot, fresh McDonald’s burger and thinking, “How do they always get it just right?” There’s a secret behind the scenes. It’s not just the fries and Big Macs. It’s smart tech. It’s AI pulling strings in the background. Welcome to a fun look at how McDonald’s uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its supply chain, also called the Borden Actions.
TLDR: McDonald’s uses AI to make its supply chain faster and smarter. It helps forecast demand, manage food freshness, and reduce waste. AI even helps trucks deliver more efficiently. The result? Hot food, less waste, and happy customers.
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What Are Borden Actions?
“Borden Actions” is McDonald’s fun nickname for a bundle of smart moves they make with AI. It’s named after Clara Borden, one of their supply chain pioneers. Today, her name lives on in how they manage their massive global kitchen.
These actions include:
- Predicting how many burgers will sell tomorrow
- Making sure ice cream machines are stocked
- Helping trucks deliver faster and smarter
All with the help of Artificial Intelligence. Let’s break it down.
Predicting What People Want
Imagine you’re in charge of a McDonald’s location. It’s Monday, and you need to guess how many cheeseburgers, apple pies, and smoothies to prep. Guess wrong, and you waste money. Or worse, you run out of food!
This is where AI comes in. McDonald’s uses machine learning algorithms. These look at:
- Previous sales data
- Weather forecasts
- Events nearby (like football games)
- Time of day and day of the week
AI puts all this together and gives a prediction. Something like: “You’ll sell 372 cheeseburgers today.” Not 370. Not 380. But 372. That’s how accurate it can be!
Why does this matter? It keeps food fresh, stock full, and lines moving fast. Happy customers = more sales.
Making Deliveries Smarter
McDonald’s has thousands of restaurants. These restaurants need supplies. From buns to napkins. From ketchup to cleaning products. That’s a LOT of deliveries.
How do they manage it? With AI-powered logistics.
Here’s what AI can do during delivery planning:
- Pick shorter routes to save fuel
- Group orders by location
- Adjust for weather or traffic
- Reschedule deliveries in real time
If a truck breaks down, AI reroutes the delivery. If it’s snowing in Chicago, deliveries shift to another warehouse. No guessing. Just smart decisions.
It keeps supplies flowing so that fries never stop frying!
Keeping Food Fresh and Safe
Fresh food is key at McDonald’s. But food doesn’t stay fresh forever. That’s why AI helps with inventory management.
Here’s how it works:
- AI watches food usage in stores
- It tracks shelf life of items
- It alerts staff before food expires
- It helps chefs prepare just the right amount
This means less waste and better tasting food. No soggy salad or dry chicken nuggets!
Better Planning Thanks to AI
McDonald’s supply chain is global. Chicken from one place. Lettuce from another. AI helps plan this web like a genius puzzle master.
One cool thing: digital twins. Imagine a digital copy of a restaurant or warehouse. It works just like the real thing — but on a screen.
McDonald’s uses digital twins to:
- Test new store layouts
- Simulate customer flow
- Try different cook times
- Model supply delivery timing
This saves them time and money. They can test 100 ways to do something — all without lifting a fryer.
Fighting Waste with Smart Tech
Food waste is a big deal. AI helps McDonald’s reduce it.
How?
- Predicts daily demand
- Optimizes portion size
- Spots trends that lead to waste
For example: If AI sees that salads are always tossed out after 4 p.m., stores can make fewer after that time. Simple idea, huge savings.
Working With Farmers
Farmers are part of the McDonald’s chain too. The company works with thousands of them. AI helps here as well!
They use AI to:
- Forecast crop quality
- Predict demand for ingredients
- Prevent shortages before they happen
- Ensure animal welfare standards are met
This partnership of tech and farming makes the whole chain stronger — from soil to sauce.
Serving Sustainability
AI even helps with environmental goals.
McDonald’s wants to cut their emissions and energy use. AI helps stores and trucks use less power by:
- Monitoring energy use in real time
- Turning off equipment when not needed
- Optimizing freezer and fridge settings
- Reducing water waste
Small efforts add up. With AI, McDonald’s saves energy in thousands of places at once.
What’s Next?
The future? Even cooler. McDonald’s is trying out:
- AI to talk with customers at the drive-thru
- Drones for deliveries
- Robots for store restocking
- More real-time kitchen AI
These won’t just be sci-fi dreams. Many are already being tested in select locations.
Conclusion
McDonald’s may be famous for burgers. But behind the scenes? It’s quietly becoming an AI powerhouse. From predicting your cravings to keeping fries crispy, the Borden Actions are changing the game.
So the next time you grab lunch, remember: it’s not just a meal. It’s a high-tech operation brought to life by machine brains and smart data.
And thanks to Clara Borden’s legacy, it’s working like magic — one fry at a time.