Presto

What is Presto?

Presto is an AI voice automation platform for drive-thru restaurants, developed by a company also called Presto. It addresses labor shortages and increases revenue by automating order-taking in the drive-thru lane, resulting in fewer customers driving away without ordering and more completed orders.

The flagship product, Presto Voice, can typically be installed in a few hours without interrupting drive-thru service. The system runs 24/7 and can handle up to 95% of customer orders without staff intervention. Restaurants can expect annual savings on labor costs and increased monthly revenue through automated upselling. Presto has deployed over 277,000 products, demonstrating its ability to scale enterprise-grade drive-thru systems.

Presto’s origins trace back to 2008 at MIT, where it initially focused on technologies for ordering, paying, and interacting in sit-down restaurants. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the industry, the company shifted its expertise to drive-thru operations, applying generative AI to create Presto Voice. This gave Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) operators a way to improve the customer experience, reduce labor expenses, and increase drive-thru revenue, combining AI automation with human oversight.

Who created Presto?

Presto was founded by Krishna K. Gupta, a tech entrepreneur and investor who made the company’s first investment through his venture capital firm, Remus Capital. He has a background in building applied AI companies and earned bachelor’s degrees in engineering and management from MIT.

What is Presto used for?

• Automating drive-thrus: Handles order-taking, particularly useful during staff shortages.
• Reducing labor costs: Offers potential annual savings on labor expenses.
• Increasing revenue: Boosts orders through automated upselling and fewer abandoned orders.
• Improving operations: Streamlines drive-thru workflows and improves guest satisfaction.
• Fast deployment: Installs in hours without disrupting ongoing service.
• Reliable scale: Enterprise-grade systems proven across hundreds of thousands of deployments.
• Hands-off order processing: Manages up to 95% of customer orders without staff intervention.