From robotic grills, faster blenders and drone delivery, restaurants across the globe are turning to automation to tackle rising labor costs, improve efficiency and boost revenues. Major quick-service restaurant (QSR) chains have also embraced the trend, with Chipotle announcing this week (Oct. 3) that it had...
Chipotle wants to test whether robots can prepare its burrito bowls and salads. The fast casual chain announced Tuesday (Oct. 3) it had teamed with automated food service platform Hyphen to test a “cobotic” (short for “cooperative robotics”) “digital makeline.” “Approximately 65% of all Chipotle digital orders are bowls or...
In an effort to compete with larger players in the space, small restaurants are looking to boost their eCommerce presence, PYMNTS Intelligence has found. By the Numbers Findings from the study “Main Street Health Q3 2023: Leading Payment Processors’ Satisfy SMBs, but Less Popular Providers...
From loyalty rewards redemption to order pickup to mobile downloads, restaurants are using QR codes to accomplish a wide range of their digital goals in their brick-and-mortar stores. For instance, fast-casual chain Sweetgreen is leveraging the technology to expand its loyalty program to in-store transactions,...
Many restaurants have built up their tech stacks over time and are now seeking to winnow down their digital solutions, finding themselves with a disorderly tangle of incompatible software. Take, for instance, Inspire Brands, the parent company of Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s and...
As consumers increasingly demand quicker and more convenient digital ordering and payment, Panera Bread has added a feature that allows them to make restaurant purchases with one swipe. The fast-casual giant, which has more than 2,100 locations across the U.S. and Canada, announced Wednesday (Sept....
As own-device self-service catches on across industries, restaurants are leveraging kiosks to reach consumers who have not adopted mobile payments, according to GoTab. The restaurant technology provider’s CEO Tim McLaughlin told PYMNTS in an interview, following the launch of the company’s Self-Ordering Kiosks last week, that the technology enables food...
This week in restaurant news, technology providers are unveiling more specialized offerings to cut through the noise. Toast launched a solution specifically for cafes and bakeries, Oracle introduced its offering for independent eateries, and Uber Eats expanded its white-label capabilities. ResTech company Toast, known for...
Chick-fil-A is reportedly testing out robo-waiters as consumers grapple with mixed feelings around automation in the restaurant industry. The quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain, which has more than 2,800 restaurants across the country, is testing out in-restaurant robots at select locations to get customers’ orders to...
