Technology: Page 11

  • An image of Sweetgreen's rewards program on a smartphone.
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    Permission granted by Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen will extend loyalty program to its dining rooms

    The value of offering in-store rewards will be “super accretive,” CEO Jonathan Neman said, because most of the chain’s customers are first acquired through its restaurants.

    By • Aug. 1, 2023
  • A picture of a chef in a kitchen looking down at a calculator.
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    Vladimir Vladimirov via Getty Images
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    Readers Respond: Virtual brand sales are too low to justify complexity

    Across the board, Restaurant Dive readers didn’t expect virtual brands to grow this year, and some are considering cutting them to improve operations.

    By • July 31, 2023
  • A worker takes a bowl of processed avocados from a prototype of Vebu's Autocado.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle wants to improve speed with grills, robots

    The fast casual chain is trialing automated kitchen equipment that can trim prep time in half, in some cases, as it looks to improve accuracy and throughput.

    By • July 28, 2023
  • An image of a Beto Guajardo, who is wearing a suit and tie.
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    Permission granted by Blaze Pizza
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    Q&A // Meet the exec

    Blaze Pizza CEO: We want an experience that can’t ‘be replicated by machines’

    Beto Guajardo, now six months into his tenure at the build-your-own pizza chain, is focused on growing its footprint, making offerings more affordable and improving the diner experience.

    By • July 25, 2023
  • Opening small business. Happy arab woman in apron near bar counter holding digital tablet and looking at camera.
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    Prostock-Studio via Getty Images
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    Sponsored by Fourth

    How to make demand forecasting your competitive advantage

    Learn how to take control of your labor budgets, empower frontline managers and eliminate staffing inefficiencies with AI-powered forecasting.

    By Christian Berthelsen, Chief Technology Officer, Fourth • July 24, 2023
  • Brinker International launched its second virtual brand, Maggiano's Italian Classics, in 2021.
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    Retrieved from Maggiano's Italian Classics on August 18, 2021
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    Friday Feedback: How are you thinking about virtual brands?

    Restaurant Dive wants to know if you are using delivery-only brands as part of your operations.

    By • July 21, 2023
  • A photograph of Ming-Tai Huh.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Square’s new GM for restaurants targets bigger operators with new tech

    Ming-Tai Huh shares how his position as a restaurant operator and a tech executive has given him a singular view of the restaurant industry’s challenges.

    By • July 20, 2023
  • Toast Inc. point of sale device
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    Courtesy of Toast Inc.
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    Toast axes 99-cent fee

    The restaurant payments company said Wednesday it would remove the customer-paid order processing fee by the end of this week.

    By Caitlin Mullen • July 19, 2023
  • A table with a laptop that has features from DoorDash.
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    Permission granted by DoorDash
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    DoorDash teams with ItsaCheckmate, Deliverect for easier restaurant signups

    Restaurant partners can sign up for DoorDash’s marketplace through some POS systems, allowing them to join the platform in days rather than weeks. 

    By • July 19, 2023
  • A portrait photo of Paul Tuscano, KFC U.S.'s incoming chief digital officer.
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    KFC US adds chief digital officer role

    Paul Tuscano joins KFC from Marriott as the company’s focus on digital ordering and experiences grows.

    By • July 14, 2023
  • Donatos pizza
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    Courtesy of PR Newswire
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    Donatos Pizza to deploy pizza vending machine

    The chain will deploy its first automated pizza kiosk in partnership with Appetronix in Columbus, Ohio, at an unspecified time in the future.

    By • July 14, 2023
  • The new Saladworks in-store restaurant, in a Cincinnati Kroger
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    Courtesy of Saladworks
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    Woworks adds 7 virtual brands across its restaurant chains

    The Saladworks parent seeks to open new revenue streams for its franchisees via new concepts like Soup Works and Stack’d Sandwiches, despite volatility in the virtual brand segment. 

    By • July 13, 2023
  • Woman standing behind counter and cash register serves ice cream cone.
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    Permission granted by Lynne Marek
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    Will Toast get burned by 99-cent fee?

    The restaurant payments software company’s rivals needled Toast over the addition of a fee to be paid by consumers.

    By Caitlin Mullen • July 12, 2023
  • A worker takes a bowl of processed avocados from a prototype of Vebu's Autocado.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle pilots avocado robot that could halve guacamole prep time

    The Autocado, a robot designed by Vebu at Chipotle’s Cultivate Center, can hold 25 pounds of avocados at a time and cuts, cores and scoops the fruits.

    By • July 12, 2023
  • An image of Dawn Gillis, CIO of Golden Corral
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    Permission granted by Golden Corral
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    Golden Corral appoints 7-Eleven vet as CIO

    Dawn Gillis, who also worked at Freebirds and Torchy’s Tacos, will oversee the buffet chain’s digital growth strategy and modernize its tech stack.

    By • July 7, 2023
  • Blue and purple Taco Bell sauce packets are inscribed with messages against a metaverse-themed backdrop.
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    Retrieved from Taco Bell Corp. on August 25, 2022
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    Yum Brands inks AI-powered customer data partnership

    Treasure Data will collect first-, second- and third-party data for the restaurant company to create “a single view of a customer across multiple brands.”

    By • July 6, 2023
  • An image of DoorDash rewards for stores
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    Permission granted by DoorDash
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    DoorDash enhances merchant platform with store rewards

    The latest additions for merchants also include personalized growth recommendation and and enhanced Storefront features. 

    By • June 28, 2023
  • DoorDash screenshots
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    Permission granted by DoorDash
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    DoorDash launches biggest app update in its history

    New consumer features include a universal search bar, multiple carts, bottom navigation tabs and the ability to use SNAP/EBT online payments for groceries.

    By • June 28, 2023
  • Atosa Catering Equipment's prototype fry machine at the National Restaurant Association show on May 22, 2023.
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    Aneurin Canham-Clyne/Restaurant Dive
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    Deloitte: Customer acceptance of restaurant automation on the rise

    Diners are becoming more comfortable with smart kitchen and dining room solutions, which could help operators deploy such tech without hurting sales.

    By • June 27, 2023
  • Toast Inc. point of sale device
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    Courtesy of Toast Inc.
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    Toast adds 99-cent customer online ordering fee

    The fee, which will be paid by guests making orders of $10 or higher, will help fund Toast’s product investments and innovation. 

    By • June 23, 2023
  • Domino's Pinpoint Delivery
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    Courtesy of Domino's Pizza
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    Domino’s delivers anywhere on the map with latest tech innovation

    Pinpoint Delivery leverages Google Maps to evolve the chain's groundbreaking Hotspots feature and will be promoted via an integrated campaign.

    By Chris Kelly • June 20, 2023
  • Olo founder Noah Glass on Olo's first day of trading
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    Permission granted by Olo
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    Olo cuts 11% of workforce as losses mount

    Following layoffs impacting 81 workers, former Yahoo executive Joanna Lambert will join Olo as its COO July 5 to help with the company’s strategic reorganization. 

    By • June 14, 2023
  • A photograph of chicken sliders from IHOP's virtual brand TenderFix
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    Permission granted by Nextbite
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    C3 founder Sam Nazarian buys Nextbite

    Nextbite’s delivery-only brands, and its partnerships with restaurants like IHOP and Nathan’s Famous, will continue under SBE Hospitality’s umbrella.

    By • Updated June 14, 2023
  • An image of a woman making an online order for a restaurant.
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    Weedezign via Getty Images
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    Nextbite sells Ordermark US business to Indian software firm UrbanPiper

    The transaction comes just a few weeks after Nextbite laid off an undisclosed number of employees, with some workers reporting the company would restructure. 

    By • June 10, 2023
  • An image of sweetgreen's automated kitchen in Naperville, Illinois
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    Courtesy of Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen will automate all new stores, target suburban markets

    The salad chain’s Infinite Kitchen makeline could remake its labor model, analysts said following CEO Jonathan Neman’s presentation at William Blair’s Growth Stock Conference.

    By • June 8, 2023