The Case for AI Fast-Food Drive-Thrus

In 1993, five bucks at a drive-thru could feed a family. Today, it barely covers a soda. In this story, Aaron Calafato takes us through the chaos of the modern fast-food experience—wrong orders, long waits, and the creeping perfection of AI drive-thrus. What starts as a rant about overpriced combo meals becomes something deeper: a meditation on imperfection, nostalgia, and what we lose when machines get everything right.

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The Team:

Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Additional vocals: Cori Calafato

Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke

Additional Soundscape Design: Isaac Gehring

Special Thanks: Shannon Baker

Rob Montague Jr

Kyle McCarthy

Dania Khalife