Technology: Page 19


  • A photo of Restaurant365 staff.
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    Permission granted by Restaurant365
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    Restaurant365 raises $135M

    The restaurant tech firm said the money from L Catterton, KKR and previous investors would support further product development. 

    By May 19, 2023
  • A photograph of chicken sliders from IHOP's virtual brand TenderFix
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    Permission granted by Nextbite
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    Nextbite cuts more jobs, some staff say it will restructure

    The virtual restaurant brand platform, which made staff cuts twice last year, terminated an unknown number of workers this week, according to LinkedIn posts from 20 former employees. 

    By May 18, 2023
  • Front-of-end restaurant staff uses SevenRooms' customer relationship management software. Explore the Trendline
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    Courtesy of SevenRooms
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    Trendline

    How AI is shaping the restaurant industry

    Automated technology can transform restaurant systems and relieve pressure from rising operating costs, opening up new opportunities for chains looking to sharpen their value proposition. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • An image of Incentivio's online ordering platform
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    Retrieved from Incentivio on May 17, 2023
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    Incentivio lands $10M in funding to grow restaurant AI capabilities

    The guest engagement platform will use the funding to accelerate growth and invest in product, engineering and innovation for small- and mid-size eateries. 

    By May 18, 2023
  • A rendering of a Wendy's restaurant with Pipedream's underground delivery system
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s tests underground robots for mobile order pickup

    The QSR chain said it is the first to partner with hyperlogistics company Pipedream to create the system, which uses robot couriers to deliver orders from the kitchen to designated parking spots. 

    By Updated May 18, 2023
  • Taco Bell exterior
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Yum Brands faces class action suits from employees after ransomware attack

    The Taco Bell and KFC operator is facing litigation after some personal data of company employees was stolen in the attack.

    By David Jones • May 16, 2023
  • An image of Square's Franchise Platform, which rolled out May 2023.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Square adds franchise platform

    Square for Franchise, which was created following the company’s acquisition of GoParrot, lets franchisors monitor multiple units on one dashboard. 

    By May 16, 2023
  • An image of Yelp's reservation management platform.
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    Permission granted by Yelp
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    Yelp expands front-of-house tools with Toast, Google

    A Toast integration will allow restaurants to gain insights from the point-of-sale system, while Reserve with Google will allow diners to reserve a table or join a waitlist from Google Maps and Search. 

    By May 15, 2023
  • A glass goblet being held up by a hand and filled with an orange liquid on tap.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Sponsored by Square

    How this brewery-gastropub saves 6 hours a week with integrated payroll

    Learn how a brewing company used Square to grow their business, boost revenue and generate higher numbers of repeat customers.

    May 15, 2023
  • Wendy's ghost kitchen
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    Permission granted by Wendy's
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    Wendy’s will shut down remaining US Reef units

    The closures are slated for this quarter and come less than two years after Wendy’s said it would build 700 Reef units in the U.S., U.K. and Canada.

    By May 10, 2023
  • A picture of someone scanning a QR code at a restaurant.
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    Retrieved from ChatFood on May 10, 2023
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    Deliverect acquires ChatFood, offers dine-in ordering

    Deliverect will roll out new products in the coming months so restaurants can offer ordering via social media and QR codes for dine-in guests.

    By May 10, 2023
  • Wendy's drive-thru only restaurant UK
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    Permission granted by Wendy's
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    Wendy’s to test Google’s drive-thru chatbot in Ohio

    The tool, called Wendy’s FreshAI, can understand customization requests, respond to common customer questions and offer upsell suggestions. 

    By Updated May 10, 2023
  • An image of an Amazon Echo device using Uber Eats
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    Courtesy of Uber Eats
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    Uber Eats expands voice order tracking with Amazon Alexa

    The food delivery aggregator initially added voice integrations with Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri last year.

    By May 8, 2023
  • An image of sweetgreen's automated kitchen in Naperville, Illinois
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    Courtesy of Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen will unveil first automated kitchen this week

    The chain’s Infinite Kitchen, part of ongoing efforts to improve profitability, opened its first location in Naperville, Illinois, on Wednesday.

    By Updated May 10, 2023
  • A laptop with a picture of a nachos and guacamole dish is right next to a Square mobile device processing a smartphone. A hand reaches out to the laptop.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Sponsored by Square

    5 tips for building an omnichannel restaurant strategy

    Restaurants are finding new ways to meet consumers on the channels they’re already using. Here are five tips for building an omnichannel restaurant strategy to more effectively reach and engage with customers.

    May 8, 2023
  • An image promoting renovations and redesigns of existing CKE Restaurants.
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    Courtesy of CKE Restaurants
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    CKE partners with 3 drive-thru AI firms

    The parent company of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. said tests of Presto, Valyant and OpenCity’s drive-thru AI tools helped improve labor efficiency.

    By May 5, 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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    Brinker to phase out Maggiano’s Italian Classics virtual brand

    The brand lasted fewer than two years at the restaurant company, which is looking to to free up labor and time to focus on in-restaurant operations. 

    By May 4, 2023
  • A delivery robot crosses a busy street.
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    Carlos Osorio/AP

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    Deep Dive

    Why delivery robots face a regulatory ‘nightmare’

    Laws for sidewalk-roaming bots have taken hold across states. But variances in each bill complicate the industry's expansion plans.

    By Max Garland • May 3, 2023
  • An image of a Chick-fil-A customer scanning her rewards program at the drive-thru
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    Retrieved from Chick-fil-A on March 17, 2023
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    Chick-fil-A’s geofencing pilot reduced wait times

    The chain found that 100 restaurants trimmed average wait times by one to two minutes using this technology. 

    By May 3, 2023
  • A restaurant worker uses a tablet for payment operations while restaurant customers mingle in the background.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Sponsored by Square

    The Future of Restaurants report: Square’s 2023 edition

    The Square Future of Restaurants report will help you understand the top trends, the changing landscape and expectations, and the tools and strategies that define the next era of the restaurant industry.

    May 1, 2023
  • A Grubhub worker and a JOCO bike.
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    Courtesy of Grubhub
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    Grubhub will offer monthly e-bike credits to 500 NYC delivery workers

    Grubhub and e-bike rental platform JOCO say their joint bike rental credit program could improve fire safety in the Big Apple, where 11 people have died in e-bike battery-related fires in 16 months.

    By April 27, 2023
  • An image showing various food items and brand packaging from LankyBox Kitchen.
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    Courtesy of Virtual Dining Concepts
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    Chuck E. Cheese will serve LankyBox Kitchen in-store

    The eatertainment chain will serve some of its virtual brand’s food in brick-and-mortar locations for a limited time, along with branded packaging and select awards and tokens.

    By April 25, 2023
  • Yelp, office
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    Courtesy of Yelp
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    Yelp brings AI, video reviews to platform

    Diners can use the new “Surprise Me” function and “Clickable Category Tags” — two of more than a dozen Yelp updates — to find stores and restaurants without specific brands in mind.

    By April 25, 2023
  • Toast Inc. point of sale device
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    Courtesy of Toast Inc.
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    Toast adds reservation, waitlist management product

    Toast’s latest module could pit it against OpenTable, which recently partnered with Square to manage tables, floor plans and view guest preferences.

    By April 25, 2023
  • An image of Sweetgreen's rewards program on a smartphone.
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    Permission granted by Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen launches two-tiered loyalty program nationwide

    After testing loyalty elements in 2022, the chain settled on a free tier and a $10 monthly subscription tier, which includes a daily $3 order discount. 

    By April 24, 2023
  • A glass goblet being held up by a hand and filled with an orange liquid on tap.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Sponsored by Square

    How this brewery-gastropub saves 6 hours a week with integrated payroll

    Learn how a brewing company used Square to grow their business, boost revenue and generate higher numbers of repeat customers.

    April 24, 2023