Throughout 2023, more restaurants turned to kitchen automation to drive back-of-house efficiency, even as consumers have resisted the increasing automation of the industry. In October, Chipotle announced that it was working with automated food service platform Hyphen to test a “cobotic” (short for “cooperative robotics”)...
As ongoing financial challenges have continued to constrain consumers’ budgets throughout the year, restaurants have taken the opportunity to rethink the financial incentives they offer, relaunching their rewards programs with new strategies and user experiences. Take, for instance, quick-service restaurant (QSR) giant Subway, which turned...
Autonomous restaurants are increasingly appearing throughout North America, with several new entrants into the space in the past couple of weeks alone, despite consumers’ hesitations. Fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen opened its second automated location, featuring its “Infinite Kitchen” technology, Tuesday (Dec. 12) in Huntington Beach,...
When it comes to QR code menus, consumers are rarely huge fans, and this dislike is more pronounced at independent restaurants. By the Numbers According to the PYMNTS Intelligence and Paytronix study last year, “Digital Divide: Technology, Customer Service and Innovation in the Restaurant Industry,”...
December 14, 2023
As ongoing financial challenges have continued to constrain consumers’ budgets throughout the year, restaurants have taken the opportunity to rethink the financial incentives they offer, relaunching their rewards programs with new strategies and user experiences. Take, for instance, quick-service restaurant (QSR) giant Subway, which turned to a tiered rewards model. In September, the brand announced […]
May 29, 2023
Consumers not physically employed in offices are spending in locations that are more convenient to them than the city. One man’s meat is another’s poison goes the old saying, which...
August 10, 2022
As employees continue to opt for remote or hybrid work situations, restaurants that rely on city center workers’ workday lunch spend are left in a lurch. Los Angeles-based fast-casual chain...
August 21, 2023
Sweetgreen has reportedly hired two former Chipotle executives to help with its Midwest expansion. Company officials told The Wall Street Journal Monday (Aug. 21) that it had named Michael Kotick, who had been Chipotle’s senior director of marketing, as its head of marketing, and Chad Brauze, previously of Chipotle and Burger King, as its head of culinary. The new hires are […]
March 22, 2023
Credit card firm Ness has debuted an offering designed to reward users for healthy living. The Ness Card, announced Wednesday (March 22), is designed to “incentivize living healthy” by offering consumers rewards and benefits...
March 04, 2022
Today in food commerce, Shake Shack tries rewarding loyalty with cryptocurrency, and Olo adds geofencing features. Plus, robotics company Tortoise announces the launch of its automated mobile vending machines. Shake...
November 18, 2021
Today in restaurant and grocery tech news, Sweetgreen announces initial public offering (IPO) share pricing above its previous projections, and Amazon partners with Starbucks for frictionless checkout. Plus, CEO and...
