What's popping this week in the Restaurant Tech News: Real Brief for December 18, 2024.
Hi! I’m Julia Dunn from Popcorn GTM, bringing you a weekly brief of the newest restaurant technology innovations. This week, the restaurant sector is buzzing with developments—from pest management to AI-powered drive-thrus.
Here are this week's leading stories in restaurant technology.
Krispy Kreme’s Cybersecurity Wake-Up Call
Krispy Kreme experienced a cyberattack in late November that disrupted its online ordering system across parts of the United States, though physical stores remained operational. The company is working with cybersecurity experts to investigate and mitigate the incident.
Chemical-Free Kitchen Cleaning with Purfresh Clean
Purfresh Clean has introduced the SPACE system, a chemical-free, app-controlled tool designed for restaurant pest control. Using O3, this system eliminates pests, odors, and bacteria overnight, making kitchens cleaner and safer with minimal effort.
AI-Powered Drive-Thrus at Church’s Texas Chicken
Church’s Texas Chicken is teaming up with SoundHound to implement AI-powered drive-thru systems. This tech promises faster and more accurate order processing, delivering a smoother customer experience.
Condado Tacos Partners with PAR Technology
Condado Tacos is streamlining operations by partnering with PAR Technology to improve inventory management. This move is boosting efficiency across all its locations.
Equator Coffees Partners with Curbit
Fast-growing Equator Coffees has teamed up with Curbit to enhance their pickup and delivery operations. This collaboration focuses on improving efficiency and predictability, proving how tech partnerships can support restaurant growth.
Toast Expands Delivery Options with Uber Direct
Toast has partnered with Uber Direct to expand delivery services for restaurants. This partnership offers significant cost savings—up to 50 cents per order—compared to DoorDash, though Uber has a 2-mile smaller delivery radius than DoorDash.
Otter and Orbital Kitchens Hit Milestone
The delivery-only restaurant Orbital Kitchens, powered by restaurant tech company Otter, has surpassed a major milestone: processing 2 million delivery orders. This achievement highlights how technology is driving efficiency in the restaurant industry.
Paytronix Data: In-Person Dining Comeback
Big news for the industry: Paytronix data shows that in-person dining is making a comeback. Thanksgiving saw $7.8 million in in-store gift card sales, outpacing digital cards for the first time in over a year.
Botinkit’s AI-Powered Robotic Kitchens
The AI start-up Botinkit is making waves in Asia with its robotic kitchen system, Omni. This innovative technology uses AI and automation to transform commercial cooking, showcasing the future of restaurant operations.
That’s it for this week’s roundup! Stay tuned for more updates next week. Until then, keep innovating, dining, and thriving in the restaurant world.
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