Why Chipotle is funding these 6 emerging brands

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

July 8, 2026

The chain's Cultivate Next will fund Benchmark Labs, IMIO, Clean Crop Technologies, Athian, SIMPLi and PopID.

Birdcall’s Midwest expansion strategy backed by tech, real estate

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Fast-casual chicken chain said that proprietary technology, real estate optoins and a multichannel business model will help with its Midwest expansion.

How Bojangles turned drive-thru consistency into business growth

See how Bojangles improved drive-thru performance with AI, operational insights, and a focus on consistency

Presented by Service Management Group

Sweetgreen debuts in Tennessee with Nashville opening

June 23, 2026

Sweetgreen will open its first Tennessee location June 30 in Nashville's Gulch neighborhood.

Tord Olav Dønnum on the future of autonomous foodservice

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

Tord Olav Dønnum discusses how robotics, automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping foodservice operations and how autonomous kitchens can help…

Bahama Buck’s partners with Qu to upgrade POS, operations platform

June 18, 2026

Bahama Buck's has selected Qu to overhaul its technology infrastructure as the shaved-ice franchise continues national expansion.

Deliverect Partners with 5&5 to Help Restaurant Brands Scale Their Digital Ordering Ecosystem

New partnership combines Deliverect's ordering technology with 5&5's restaurant technology expertise and managed services model

Kea-Thanx integration rewards phone-order customers, gives restaurants more data

June 16, 2026

Restaurant loyalty platform Thanx has integrated with Kea, an AI-powered phone-ordering system, to help restaurants reward customers who place orders by phone…

How AI Wins the World Cup for Restaurants - A Tournament Playbook for Restaurant Operators

As the 2026 World Cup drives unprecedented demand for restaurant delivery, this white paper explores how AI can help operators capture more orders, optimize…

Presented by Deliverect

Deliverect Partners with DataCandy to Connect Digital Ordering, Loyalty and Gift Cards Across Every Restaurant

Integration unifies third-party, first-party, and in-store orders with loyalty and gift card programs to drive retention and personalized engagement

Toast’s IQ Grow offers marketing assistance to restaurant operators

May 7, 2026

Toast Inc., based in Boston, has introduced Toast IQ Grow, designed to help restaurant operators expand their digital presence and grow their brands online.

Paytronix launches rewards hub giving marketers real-time control

May 6, 2026

Paytronix Systems Inc. has rolled out its a rewards hub to its customer engagement platform, Access Identity, part of the company's Guest Engagement Suite.

DoorDash for Business dishes up new catering and meal management tools

May 4, 2026

DoorDash for Business has expanded its workplace offerings by launching tray-style catering and a Meal Manager platform designed to consolidate and streamline…

Apex Expands Smart Food Locker Line with Modular, Scalable ‘Array’ Series

Flexible Design Fits Virtually Any Restaurant Layout; More Capacity Can Be Added at Any Time

Presented by Apex Order Pickup Solutions

How 1 fast casual founder aims to build AI bridge between wearables, wellness

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

SUMMITS launched a new AI platform that bridges the gap between what wearable data tells people to eat and what ends up on their plates.

Popmenu, SpotOn combine tech stacks to support restaurant growth

April 16, 2026

Restaurant tech platform Popmenu has partnered with fintech firm SpotOn to help operators increase revenue while streamlining day-to-day operations.

MOD Pizza using PAR to protect delivery operations from third-party errors

April 3, 2026

In an effort to protect its income streams from errors tied to third-party platforms, MOD Pizza has integrated PAR Technology Corp's Recovery and Delivery…

Oracle launches AI -backed system to consolidate back-office functions

April 2, 2026

Oracle has launched an artificial intelligence-backed system to consolidate back-office functions — including inventory, procurement, scheduling, production…

Shake Shack launches digital overhaul to fuel 1,500-unit expansion

April 1, 2026

Shake Shack Inc. is doubling down on its digital future with Project Catalyst, a sweeping technology initiative designed to modernize its infrastructure as the…

Apex Smart Food Lockers at OOMI Digital Kitchen

Hear how this popular ghost kitchen ensures a stellar experience at every step of the customer journey, including order pickup. Their Apex Smart Food Lockers…

Presented by Apex Order Pickup Solutions