Technology

  • A White Castle restaurant at night.
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    Courtesy of White Castle
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    White Castle opens new prototype in Ohio

    The new unit takes a page out of Chick-fil-A’s playbook with a drive-thru hospitality door, and features new tech like a robotic fry cook, drive-thru voice AI and self-order kiosks.

    By • Oct. 16, 2025
  • Five delivery vehicles outside of a store.
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    Courtesy of Save Mart
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    Starship raises $50M to scale delivery bots

    The robotics maker plans to expand its operations from U.S. college campuses to urban markets, as delivery aggregators begin to scale their partnerships with various robotics firms.

    By • Oct. 15, 2025
  • A man and a woman dressed as a chef look at a tablet. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Back-of-house Technology

    From AI-enhanced POS systems and analytics to robot-powered kitchen equipment, restaurants are investing in technology solutions to optimize kitchen operations and reduce employee turnover. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • Food worker in a blue shirt hands a takeout bag to a customer.
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    Smallhands Creative

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    Sponsored by Toast

    How 75% off-premise traffic is reshaping restaurant operations

    Here’s what the off-premise evolution means for operators—and how they’re adapting to succeed.

    Oct. 13, 2025
  • AI apps ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude and Perplexity on a smartphone hovering over a computer keyboard .
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    Getty Images
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    Instacart, Uber, DoorDash bringing food delivery to ChatGPT

    The three e-commerce providers are among several apps set to join the AI-powered chatbot.

    By Catherine Douglas Moran , • Oct. 10, 2025
  • An image of a customer entering a Cava restaurant.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Cava adds tiers, status matching to rewards program

    Consumers who can prove elite status in some other brands’ loyalty programs will be able to slot into the higher tiers of Cava’s system.

    By • Oct. 9, 2025
  • One of Serve Robotics' delivery robots.
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    Courtesy of Serve Robotics
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    Serve Robotics partners with DoorDash

    The companies will initially deploy bots in Los Angeles, where DoorDash is already offering bot delivery with Coco, and where Serve works with Uber Eats.

    By • Oct. 9, 2025
  • A worker uses a Square tablet.
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    Courtesy of Square
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    Square debuts voice ordering, boosts AI assistant

    As tech firms compete to build up an all-in-one restaurant management platform, features like back-office AI and phone ordering could become important points of competition. 

    By • Oct. 8, 2025
  • A car sits underneath Taco Bell's new drive-thru camera stations, which are decorated in neon signage
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell Corp.
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    Chick-fil-A wins on order accuracy, experience at the drive-thru

    QSR speed of service improved slightly, but mobile orders, app payments and customizations have created more complex transactions, Intouch Insight’s yearly drive-thru report revealed.

    By • Oct. 2, 2025
  • An image of different DoorDash pages on a smartphone.
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    Courtesy of DoorDash
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    DoorDash’s 3 biggest consumer updates

    Diners can view videos from merchants, find restaurants on Yelp to order from and receive AI-powered, personalized recommendations.

    By • Oct. 2, 2025
  • A photograph of a brick building with signage that says "Krystal"
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    Permission granted by Krystal
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    Krystal launches first loyalty program

    Consumers will earn 10 points for every dollar spent, as the QSR brand looks to drive frequency and increase check.

    By • Oct. 1, 2025
  • A man stands on a stage talking
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    Julie Littman/Restaurant Dive
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    9 restaurant industry trade shows to attend in 2026

    Next year is jam-packed with restaurant conferences and trade shows that will cover key topics for the sector, ranging from franchising and menu development to economic forecasts.

    By Restaurant Dive Staff • Oct. 1, 2025
  • An image of three red robots with two eyes on a street.
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    Permission granted by DoorDash
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    Why DoorDash built its own delivery robot

    Dot, a robot that can traverse bike lanes, parking lots and sidewalks, opens up an untapped logistics model alongside a new autonomous delivery platform.

    By • Oct. 1, 2025
  • One of Serve Robotics next generation robots
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    Courtesy of Serve Robotics
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    Serve Robotics deploys robots with Uber Eats in Chicago

    The robotics company said it will deploy dozens of robots across at least 14 neighborhoods to complete orders from upwards of 100 restaurants.

    By • Sept. 30, 2025
  • An image of three smartphones with DoorDash app images seen
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    Permission granted by DoorDash
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    DoorDash launches dine-in rewards, reservations

    With its new “Going Out” tab, guests can book reservations, earn in-store rewards and access exclusive offers from partner restaurants.

    By • Sept. 30, 2025
  • A sandwich, a bag of chips, a coke, a red background.
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    Courtesy of Jimmy John's
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    Jimmy John’s moves to points-based rewards

    Switching from a surprise-and-delight program to JJ Rewards could help drive frequency and incentivize the chain’s most loyal guests.

    By • Sept. 29, 2025
  • Young people laughing together
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    iStock/ Monkey Business Images

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    Sponsored by GS1 US

    Satisfying demanding diners: How global standards deliver trust on the plate

    Today’s guests expect faster service, top-quality food and seamless tech experiences — without compromising on cost or hospitality.

    Sept. 29, 2025
  • An exterior shot of a Red Lobster restaurant from downhill, in the foreground, lush shrubbery separates the restaurant from the camera.
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    Courtesy of Red Lobster
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    Red Lobster deploys AI bots to answer phones

    SoundHound’s voice automation technology is expected to free up workers and improve front-of-house service.

    By • Sept. 23, 2025
  • Taco Bell's $5, $7 and $9 luxe boxes. Each combo meal contains several items, a side and a drink.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell promotes execs focused on branding, technology

    As the chain works to triple its international store count in five years, these new executive promotions can help replicate the brand’s U.S. success abroad.

    By • Sept. 22, 2025
  • Restaurant hostess at the host stand
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    Permission granted by Stable Kernel
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    Sponsored by Stable Kernel

    When $5 million is on the line: How AI-powered resilience protects restaurant revenue

    AI resilience saved $5M in sales - see how restaurants turn tech into ROI.

    By Jay Gyuricza, VP of Customer Experience & Business Development, Stable Kernel • Sept. 22, 2025
  • Server serving guests at a restaurant.
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    Permission granted by Toast
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    Sponsored by Toast

    The integrated advantage: how a unified payment system scales with hospitality growth

    Discover why a unified payment system is the single most valuable asset for today’s top hospitality leaders.

    Sept. 22, 2025
  • Olo founder Noah Glass on Olo's first day of trading
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    Permission granted by Olo
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    Olo lays off workers following Thoma Bravo acquisition

    The move marks the third time in three years the restaurant tech company has cut workers.

    By • Sept. 18, 2025
  • An image of a black drone floating in the air with a green background.
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    Courtesy of Uber/Flytrex
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    Uber invests in Flytrex to scale drone delivery

    The partnership is part of Uber’s strategy to create a delivery network that deploys sidewalk robots and aerial drones alongside drivers and couriers.

    By • Sept. 18, 2025
  • Taco Bell drive-through
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    Courtesy of Yum Brands
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    How Yum’s AI factory supercharges marketing at Taco Bell and beyond

    Execs at the fast food giant detail an approach to artificial intelligence that is already powering transformation throughout its digitally focused brands.

    By Chris Kelly • Sept. 17, 2025
  • A portrait of Sean Tresvant, Taco Bell's incoming CEO.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Yum prepares for CEO swap with more exec changes

    As Chris Turner prepares to take over Yum, Taco Bell’s parent company promoted three leaders, including a CFO, and will add a chief scale officer role.

    By • Sept. 9, 2025
  • Exterior view of Mystic Diner Restaurant lit up with bright blue lights at sunset.
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    Permission granted by Diner Hospitality Group
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    Sponsored by Toast

    How 1 restaurateur saved time and drove sales with Toast’s AI Marketing Assistant

    How a Connecticut diner uses AI to market smarter, help save time and drive sales.

    Sept. 8, 2025