Technology
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Postmates' robotics division splits off, becomes Serve Robotics
Serve Robotics closed its first funding round and will continue to develop and operate autonomous delivery robots in urban markets as it pursues new partnerships.
By Emma Liem Beckett • March 03, 2021 -
Retrieved from Taco Bell on August 20, 2020
Yum Brands buys Kvantum's AI business to 'fast-track' data-driven marketing
The owner of KFC and Taco Bell will combine Kvantum's machine learning tech with culture-based insights from Collider Lab, a consultancy it acquired in 2015.
By Peter Adams • March 02, 2021 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Moriah Solomon. (2021). [Photograph]. Retrieved from Unsplash.
TrendlineThe Restaurant Dive Outlook on 2021
After a year that turned the restaurant industry upside down, operators are using technology investments, acquisitions and innovative design to stake their claim in a changed environment.
By Restaurant Dive staff -
McDonald's mulls partial sale of AI company Dynamic Yield
Following franchisee complaints, the fast food giant is evaluating the tech company's drive-thru performance and could sell the part that works with outside retailers.
By Alicia Kelso • UPDATED: March 1, 2021 at 5 p.m. -
88% of restaurants considering swapping to digital menus, survey says
Seventy-six percent of operators plan to continue offering contactless payment options this year as well, Square's Future of Restaurants 2021 report shows.
By Julie Littman • Feb. 24, 2021 -
Retrieved from Olo/Business Wire on February 22, 2021
Olo files to go public with $100M offering
The software company posted a 94% increase in revenue during 2020 as customers shifted toward digital ordering channels during the pandemic.
By Julie Littman • Feb. 23, 2021 -
Permission granted by Yelp
Yelp adds takeout features, enhanced analytics to Waitlist
The latest updates to the company's restaurant products include guest profiles and POS integration, which give users more data on operational performance, customer preferences and ordering behavior.
By Julie Littman • Feb. 23, 2021 -
Courtesy of Toast Inc.
Toast considering IPO valued at $20B, WSJ reports
The software company, which processed 50 million digital guest orders in 2020, is also exploring a sale or merger with a special purpose acquisition corporation, per the publication.
By Julie Littman • Feb. 22, 2021 -
Retrieved from LinkedIn on February 11, 2021
Will Clubhouse be the next social media platform for marketers?
The parent company of Burger King and Popeyes jumped on the buzzy app last week, opening the possibility of another digital channel for brands to utilize.
By Chris Kelly • Feb. 18, 2021 -
Julie Littman/Industry Dive
Report: Loyalty customers spend more than twice as much on takeout meals
The spending disparity between loyalty members and non-members reflects why so many major brands, including Taco Bell, Wendy's and White Castle, have added or enhanced their loyalty programs during the pandemic.
By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 17, 2021 -
McDonald's agrees to independent review of contentious technology fees
At the request of the National Franchisee Leadership, which claims that no outstanding fees were due, the chain said it plans to enlist Ernst & Young to provide certainty that payables are owed.
By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 16, 2021 -
Taco Bell franchisee plans 2-story store with 4 drive-thru lanes in Minnesota
A franchisee wants to build a 3,000-square-foot model in Brooklyn Park. The concept potentially could be a new iteration of the chain's Go Mobile store design.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Feb. 11, 2021 -
Permission granted by Burger King
Burger King loyalty program test includes rewards via self-delivery
The chain's loyalty members will be able to earn points when they place an order for delivery through its app or website, but not through third-party vendors.
By Emma Liem Beckett • UPDATED: Feb. 9, 2021 at 5:16 p.m. -
Courtesy of Taco Bell
Taco Bell decries rivals' celeb menu stunts in 'Build Your Own Cravings' mobile push
Even as it teases fellow QSRs like McDonald's and Chipotle that have relied on celebrities, Taco Bell's latest effort also features influencers.
By Chris Kelly • Feb. 08, 2021 -
Courtesy of McDonald's
McDonald's plans to open nearly 500 restaurants in US and IOM segments in 2021
The chain called new restaurant development an "important driver of our growth" during its recent Q4 earnings call. McDonald's will also spend $500 million to modernize 1,200 existing locations.
By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 01, 2021 -
Albert Hu. (2020). [Photograph]. Retrieved from Unsplash.
Deep DiveHow restaurants are bringing tech to the table in 2021
Much of the industry's in-store tech investments have gone toward contactless payment solutions or tableside, but operators are also experimenting with cutting-edge air filtration to make diners comfortable.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Jan. 28, 2021 -
Retrieved from Chick-fil-A on May 07, 2020
Chick-fil-A scores highest 'brand intimacy' marks among QSRs during the pandemic
This MLBM ranking also comes as several brands, including McDonald's, KFC and Burger King, pull a page from Chick-fil-A's playbook by launching signature chicken sandwiches.
By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 19, 2021 -
Panera takes its catering business virtual
The chain's Virtual Catering program allows companies to buy digital, timestamped vouchers to send to remote employees or clients ahead of an online meeting or event.
By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 14, 2021 -
FAT Brands
Noodles & Company, Fat Brands plan ghost kitchen openings in 2021
Noodles will launch its first ghost kitchen outpost in Q1, while Fat Brands has plans to roll out a couple dozen this year.
By Emma Liem Beckett , Julie Littman • Jan. 13, 2021 -
Grubhub partners with Fiat Chrysler to add in-car food ordering
Consumers can reorder favorites or discover new restaurants, which allows them to find nearby eateries they have not ordered from before.
By Alicia Kelso , Julie Littman • Jan. 12, 2021 -
Courtesy of https://www.auntieannes.com/newsroom/best-friends-day-2019
Focus Brands adds surcharge for digital pickup, delivery orders
The company said the additional 35 cent fee will help support the online ordering experience, but customers have already criticized the practice.
By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 07, 2021 -
2020 Trends: Expectations vs. reality
The restaurant industry had great expectations this year, but the pandemic completely changed the market's competitive landscape. Here's how the crisis impacted the trends we originally predicted for the year.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 23, 2020 -
Courtesy of McDonald's
McDonald's franchisees calls for tech co-op amid new fees, Restaurant Business reports
The National Owners Association's latest push follows news of a $423-per-month technology investment cost added to operators' plates to cover a $70 million "lag" from the old payment structure.
By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 22, 2020 -
Ennoti. (2020). Retrieved from Flickr.
Burger King teams up with Google to add online ordering
This integration, which begins Monday at 5,000 restaurants, will allow customers to search for the nearest location, order and pay.
By Julie Littman • Dec. 18, 2020 -
Shake Shack plans in-app delivery systemwide in early 2021
The test with Uber Eats marks the first time the chain has offered delivery directly through its own channels.
By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 17, 2020 -
McDonald's USA president calls for end of corporate communication freeze, Restaurant Business reports
Joe Erlinger called on franchisees in a video Thursday to end a six-week halt in nonessential communication with corporate, which was incited by frustration over new fees and the end of a Happy Meal subsidy.
By Emma Liem Beckett • UPDATED: Jan. 22, 2021 at 11:18 a.m.
