Since its founding in 2019, Hi Auto has become a recognized player in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector, thanks to its AI-driven order-taking technology. The company already operates in about 1,000 drive-thrus across the U.S., U.K., New Zealand, and Australia. For restaurants facing labor challenges, the company highlights its built-in labor optimization capabilities, which can help reduce frontline stress, lower turnover, and save 3-8 labor hours per store per day.
That operational backdrop sets the stage for Hi Auto’s new direction. The company has introduced a redesigned brand identity and website to reflect a philosophy of automation that is “not only reliable, but also warm, human, and emotionally resonant.
Reliability Isn’t Enough
While performance benchmarks give the company credibility, Hi Auto is signaling that efficiency alone will not drive adoption. CEO and Co-founder Roy Baharav explained, “While our AI Order Taker consistently achieves 93%+ order completion and 96% accuracy across nearly 1,000 stores, we’ve always believed adoption depends on more than performance. Trust, friendliness, and ease-of-use are just as essential. That’s why we built Auto, not just a voice assistant, but the voice of the brand at the drive-thru.”
Instead of measuring only cost savings and throughput, Hi Auto is presenting a case for how technology can embody brand values in one of the most customer-facing environments in the industry. The company describes its order taker as technology that should “feel less like a piece of software and more like the best crew member on the shift, dependable, approachable, and easy to work with.”
Hi Auto’s goal is to reduce strain on staff while delivering a consistently positive guest experience. They emphasize that the solution can “lighten the load for staff, keep guests happy, and deliver consistency, order after order.”
Strategy Driving Identity
For CMO Maya Dror Melamed, the rebrand was intended to ensure that identity and strategy were inseparable. “This wasn’t an aesthetic touch-up; it was about aligning our brand identity with our business and product strategy,” she said. “We began with a deep positioning effort to define the core of who we are, what we do best, and why it matters. That strategy shaped a brand and website that speak with clarity, purpose, and warmth, built to earn trust and drive adoption.”
The distinction matters. Instead of treating branding as a surface-level change, Hi Auto positioned the rebrand as one that clarifies its role as the most reliable, human-centered AI Order Taker for the drive-thru.
Personifying the Platform
To bring that positioning to life, Hi Auto introduced “Auto,” a mascot intended to embody its AI capabilities. Auto is described as “a host and a guide” that brings order, comfort, and personality to the most hurried moments of the day. The character listens carefully, speaks clearly, and never forgets, making the drive-thru fast and consistent while maintaining its unmistakably human touch.
Supporting characters such as Joe, Jim, Barbara, Willy, and the Winnies extend the storytelling. Each one reflects aspects of the drive-thru dynamic, reinforcing Hi Auto’s view that automation can coexist with human interaction rather than replace it.
Baharav summarized the intent: “Auto represents the soul of our solution. With the rest of the crew, we’re showing that our AI isn’t just reliable, it’s also intelligent, relatable, and surprisingly fun.”
Reframing Drive-Thru AI
With its new identity, Hi Auto is aiming to reframe how automation in QSR is perceived as a medium for building trust and delivering consistency at scale. The company’s mission is to redefine how restaurants and guests experience the drive-thru, setting the standard for an AI Order Taker that delivers results with the warmth and trust of a human teammate.
By emphasizing emotional connection alongside measurable performance, Hi Auto is betting that the future of AI adoption in QSR will depend on its ability to act less like a system and more like a colleague, particularly one that works every shift, never forgets, and always speaks with the voice of the brand.
