Taco Bell sets up personalized taco gifting service ahead of holiday rush

Available through Taco Bell's website and app, the feature will be permanent, showing the chain's continued bets on loyalty innovations.

By Peter Adams • Oct. 1, 2020

SevenRooms integrates its waitlist product with Google's Reserve

Guests can add themselves to a waitlist online from home via the restaurant's chosen channels, where they can view real-time estimates.

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 30, 2020

Explore the 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

Inspire Brands invests in POS integration platform ItsaCheckmate

The tech will help Arby's parent company streamline operations across its systems, the majority of which manually adds food orders from multiple channels to its POS platform.  

By Emma Liem Beckett • Sept. 30, 2020

Nearly half of consumers will try new brands if the ad is relevant, study shows

Before diverting marketing dollars to video-based social media — as Chipotle has done with its successful TikTok campaigns — marketers need to remember that context matters more than ever, according to a DoubleVerify study.

By Aaron Baar • Sept. 29, 2020

Domino's promotes CTO, restructures tech unit as CIO retires

Kelly Garcia will replace EVP and CIO Kevin Vasconi, who is retiring Oct. 2, the company announced Monday.

By Roberto Torres • Sept. 23, 2020

How chains are automating the curbside experience

Customers calling in for their food upon arrival have created logistical headaches for many chains new to curbside, and they are turning to geofencing and integrated alert systems to create a better experience.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 23, 2020

McDonald's app offers mock insurance to drive trial of new spicy McNuggets

The promotion that includes a 40-minute Instagram video of Anthony "Spice" Adams reflects the chain's focus on drive-thru, delivery and digital as it ramps up marketing spend.

By Robert Williams • Sept. 16, 2020

Independent pizza sales boosted by COVID-19 pandemic, report shows

Operators on digital ordering platform Slice have doubled their weekly sales during the coronavirus, from $2,000 to $4,000 on average, according to BTIG. 

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 15, 2020

Delivery by the numbers: What third-party platforms are offering restaurants to survive the pandemic

DoorDash introduced a cohort of 17 restaurateurs who will receive $20,000 grants and business coaching as part of its Main Street Strong Accelerator.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Jan. 18, 2022

Uber Eats adds contactless ordering for pickup, dine in

Restaurants do not have to pay a marketplace fee through the end of 2020 for orders placed through this service, which customers use by scanning a QR code.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 11, 2020

Bay Area-based Virtual Kitchen raises $20M

The company, led by former Uber executives, has brought in $37 million to date and plans to expand nationally and abroad as demand for food delivery rises.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 9, 2020

El Pollo Loco's GPS-enabled curbside pickup expands digital channels

Beginning Sept. 28, customers can order curbside pickup online or through a revamped Loco Rewards app, building on the chicken chain's long-term e-commerce strategy. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 4, 2020

Mastercard expands AI drive-thru testing to White Castle

Building on its pilot at Sonic Drive-In, the credit card company's latest AI Powered Drive Through platform will enable QSRs to use vehicle recognition and voice ordering. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 1, 2020

Saladworks to expand footprint with Chowbotics' robot

The $35,000 salad-making robot will help the chain save on labor and expand into nontraditional spaces like hospitals, universities and grocery stores. 

By Alicia Kelso • Aug. 27, 2020

Seated acquires events booking platform VenueBook

The reservation app, which also raised $30 million in funding, estimates that private events generate 10% to 15% of a restaurant's revenue and up to 20% of its profit. 

By Alicia Kelso • Aug. 19, 2020

64% of diners say staff wearing PPE is most important when eating out, survey shows

Consumers say restaurant staff taking safety precautions is a higher priority to them than efforts to add hand sanitizer and single-use menus at tables, according to a Toast report.

By Alicia Kelso • Aug. 7, 2020

Wendy's digital sales momentum grows with delivery expansion during Q2

While a majority of the mix was from delivery orders, the chain expects its newly launched loyalty program to boost mobile ordering.

By Julie Littman • Aug. 5, 2020

Shake Shack's digital sales doubled in Q2, but same-store sales declined sharply

As part of its expansion into new formats, the burger chain expects to open its first drive-thru next year in a suburban neighborhood.

By Alicia Kelso • July 31, 2020

47% of operators say moving to online ordering is their biggest challenge

This is particularly true for the majority of fine dining and upscale restaurants that didn't offer online ordering prior to the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to an Upserve survey. 

By Alicia Kelso • July 30, 2020

Yum grows digital sales $1B globally

Digital sales made up 30% of the company's global sales mix in Q2, bolstered by its launch of a tech team and various delivery and online assets. 

By Julie Littman • July 30, 2020

Popeyes urges fans to prank family members with autocorrect campaign

In a ploy to turn pizza lovers into fried chicken fans, the QSR is asking people to edit "pizza" into "Popeyes instead of pizza" using the autocorrect feature on smartphones.

By Robert Williams • July 28, 2020

Dunkin' creates new chief digital officer role as it doubles down on tech, mobile offerings

The position oversees digital marketing and media, consumer insights and IT transformation — areas seeing growing demand under the pandemic.

By Peter Adams • July 24, 2020

Starbucks will add more ways to pay, earn rewards this fall

Loyalty members will no longer have to use the Starbucks card to collect rewards, and can instead opt for cash, credit/debit cards and mobile wallets.

By Alicia Kelso • July 22, 2020

Uber Eats adds benchmarking data to Manager app

The delivery company's service will now provide information that allows restaurants to compare their operations to others in the area. 

By Julie Littman • Updated Dec. 21, 2020

81% of operators say third-party delivery helped prevent layoffs

Ninety-two percent ​of restaurants plan to continue working with third-party delivery services beyond the COVID-19 crisis, according to an Uber Eats/Technomic survey. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • July 21, 2020