Today in Food Commerce: ResTech Companies Leverage Voice Commerce; Chicken Sandwich Wars Return

Square

Today in food commerce, Burger King tests out new chicken sandwiches to drive digital sales, while Square integrates with conversational artificial intelligence (AI) company SoundHound. Plus, during a free lunch promotion, Grubhub is flooded with 6,000 orders per minute.

Square Taps Voice Commerce as Tech Companies Race Toward Operational Automation

As restaurant labor challenges continue, leading ResTech solutions providers are noting the need to get on board. Square, for one, is partnering with conversational AI company SoundHound to integrate call-in orders fielded by SoundHound’s voice assistant into Square’s point-of-sale (POS) system.

Restaurant Roundup: Burger King, Wingstop Revive Chicken Sandwich Wars; Grubhub Free Lunch Promo Goes Awry

Restaurant brands test out new chicken sandwiches to drive digital orders; Schlotzsky’s opens a new double-lane drive-thru; and Grubhub gets more than it bargained for with its free lunch promo.

Square Launches Mobile Restaurant POS Platform

Square has debuted a set of solutions for restaurants, which will allow for better tableside service and order management. The solutions come from the company’s experience serving restaurants over the past decade, and they will help restaurants — especially full-service ones — improve their bottom lines and boost efficiency.

AMZN vs WMT Weekly: Retailers Limp Into Normally Sizzling Dog Days of Summer

With the official kick-off of summer just a week away and our instinctive perennial urge to get outside, go places, have fun and relax poised to kick in, this year’s hot season looks set to be different than what we’ve come to expect in recent decades. This, as a swirl of economic headwinds is proving to be a problem, not only for consumers, but also the retailers that serve them.