Hi Auto, a startup advancing AI-based voice technology for the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry, has raised $15 million in a Series A round led by Delek Motors, the Zisapel Family, Vasuki Tech Fund, and a publicly traded strategic investor from the restaurant sector. This new funding round, which brings Hi Auto’s total capital raised to $23 million, also included participation from Allied Group, Goldbell Investments, and the Meir Barel Group. Along with the funding, Hi Auto has secured a $4 million credit line to support its growth and expansion efforts.
Hi Auto’s SaaS platform automates drive-thru order-taking, delivering over 96% order accuracy and over 90% order completion rate. As labor costs rise, QSR operators struggle to maintain speed, accuracy, and profitability at the drive-thru. Hi Auto addresses this challenge by offloading the entire ordering process to AI, freeing employees to focus on higher-value tasks like food prep and guest engagement.
Hi Auto’s customers include iconic names such as Bojangles, Checkers & Rally’s, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, Burger King New Zealand, and Popeyes UK. In addition to these marquee customers, the company is running multiple paid pilots with top-tier QSR chains in the U.S. and abroad.
Hi Auto utilizes advanced noise cancellation and a specialized language model tuned to chaotic drive-thru environments, reducing order errors even amid indecisive customers, background chatter, car engines, or thunderstorms.
One standout feature of Hi Auto’s technology is dynamic upselling. Its AI algorithmically recommends add-ons or premium items in real time based on factors like store inventory, daypart, and weather. These context-aware nudges have helped boost average ticket sizes, making the AI more than just a cost-cutting measure—it’s also a revenue driver.
Hi Auto was launched in 2019 by Roy Baharav (CEO), Eyal Shapira (CTO), and the late Zohar Zisapel, a notable figure in Israel’s tech ecosystem. And Baharav, who previously led product and business roles at Google, including launching Google’s Smart Shopping Campaigns, has a background in building and deploying large-scale retail-focused AI solutions. Before joining Hi Auto, Shapira spent over 20 years in software R&D, including founding AI-driven startups. The company now employs 100 people worldwide.
KEY QUOTES:
“Rising labor costs and labor turnover continue to strain restaurant operations. Our AI-powered ordering system acts like an always-available drive-thru specialist—one that never calls in sick, delivers near-perfect accuracy, and can upsell consistently. This funding will help us expand our footprint and refine our product as we become a trusted partner with leading QSR brands.”
“Whether it’s lunchtime at a busy urban drive-thru or late-night in a suburban setting, we can determine which products to promote and when. We’ve seen increased check sizes directly impacting the bottom line.”
“We saw earlier attempts at AI-based ordering that never quite made it. But Hi Auto’s focus on real-world conditions—like fragmentation of franchisee menu, employee-AI interface, and guest experience—positions us to solve problems that others stumbled on. Our goal is to become the default conversational AI solution for QSRs around the globe.”
– Roy Baharav, CEO and co-founder of Hi Auto
