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Toast Survey: How U.S. Restaurants are Handling Inflation, Labor, AI & Revenue Growth

by Katie Lee

Boston — Toast has released its 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey. Each year, Toast polls hundreds of restaurant operators to get a pulse check on the industry. How are restaurants faring in 2026? What are the biggest pain points? Where do they see opportunity, and how has that changed since last year? What was clear from its 2026 survey — which took place from April 3, 2026, to April 20, 2026 — of 676 restaurant operators and decision-makers is that restaurants are durable, and they’re doubling down on …

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Little Caesars Teams Up with Coco Robotics to Power Autonomous Pizza Deliveries

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — Coco Robotics, a leader in autonomous delivery, has collaborated with Little Caesars, the third-largest pizza chain in the world, to bring autonomous robot deliveries to locations throughout Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami, with Little Caesars deliveries coming soon to Coco’s recently expanded operations in downtown San Jose, Calif. Coco’s robots are currently serving participating Little Caesars locations, marking the beginning of a broader rollout to bring autonomous delivery to more Little Caesars guests. Orders placed through participating Little Caesars locations on DoorDash and Uber Eats may be …

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California Pizza Kitchen Partners With T-ROC Global to Expand Automated Retail Kiosks

by Katie Lee

Costa Mesa, Calif., and Coral Gables, Fla. — California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) has teamed up with T-ROC Global, a leading provider of technology-enabled retail solutions, to dramatically expand access to CPK through a new generation of automated retail experiences. Through the partnership, T-ROC will implement and operate up to 1,000 CPK automated retail machines nationwide over the next 3 years, bringing the brand to high-traffic locations where a traditional restaurant may be impractical, but consumers are often underserved with elevated food options. From airports and universities to hospitals, hotels, office …

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Walmart Energizes 100th Store with EV Fast Charging

by Katie Lee

Bentonville, Ark. — Walmart celebrated the opening of its 100th company-owned and operated electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging site at the Walmart Supercenter located in Monument, Colo. Walmart EV Chargers are now available at 100 stores across 20 states. “By expanding EV fast charging at Walmart locations across the country, we’re giving drivers a dependable way to charge while they’re in the store,” says Shayne Wahlmeier, senior vice president, Walmart Energy. “Reaching 100 sites is an important milestone, and our broad footprint positions us to make EV charging more accessible for …

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Qu Appoints Founder of Brink POS as Chief Product & Technology Officer

by Katie Lee

Arlington, Va. — Restaurant technology is entering one of its most significant periods of transformation, as advances in artificial intelligence and edge technologies reshape how restaurants operate and serve guests. To help enterprise QSR and fast-casual brands navigate these technology shifts, Qu has appointed restaurant technology pioneer Paul Rubin as chief product & technology officer. Rubin brings more than 30 years of experience building and scaling restaurant technology platforms, including founding Brink POS, one of the industry’s first cloud-based point-of-sale systems, and helping guide product strategy at PAR Technology. At …

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Instacart’s Smart Trolleys Now Available at Morrisons Preston in the UK

by Katie Lee

  San Francisco and Bradford, England — Instacart, a leading grocery technology company in North America, and Morrisons, one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains, have launched Caper smart trolleys at Morrisons’ Preston supermarket, marking Instacart’s first retail partnership in the UK for its AI-powered smart trolley. Caper smart trolleys bring the convenience and intelligence of online shopping directly into the store, and the launch comes as consumers increasingly seek technology that helps them shop more efficiently, stay on budget and rediscover the joy of browsing the aisles. Caper smart …

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Strategy First

by Katie Lee

— By Tara Buchler — Why strategy — not software — determines whether technology investments actually deliver value. Technology buying failures rarely happen because a team chose the “wrong” software. They happen earlier when facilities or restaurant operations enter the RFP process without the strategy, clarity or alignment required to make a good decision. Most technology buyers in retail and restaurant facilities only see a handful of locations, kitchens or service workflows over the course of their careers — often within the same company, sometimes within the same operational model. …

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Ulta Beauty Names New Chief Technology Officer

by Katie Lee

Bolingbrook, Ill. — Ulta Beauty, Inc. has appointed Kelly Garcia as its chief technology officer, effective Aug. 31, 2026. Garcia has been a member of the Ulta Beauty board of directors since 2022. Most recently, he served as the executive vice president and CTO of Domino’s Pizza since July 2012. “Kelly has been an impactful member of our board of directors, providing valuable business insights and technology expertise, including perspectives on emerging technologies such as AI, and we are excited to enhance our executive team with his leadership as our …

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SpotOn Opens Hawaiʻi Technology Showroom for Restaurant Operators

by Katie Lee

Honolulu — SpotOn, a leading restaurant technology and financial services company, has opened its new Hawaiʻi showroom. Located at KEAWE Retail in Our Kakaʻako, SpotOn’s dedicated showroom is designed for restaurant and hospitality operators to experience restaurant technology firsthand in a live and interactive environment, marking a major commitment to the state’s restaurant and hospitality community. Inspired by modern hospitality and technology experiences, the showroom was designed as a hands-on space where restaurant and bar owners, operators and managers can explore SpotOn’s technology in real world scenarios alongside SpotOn’s local …

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International Dairy Queen Hires Chief Technology Officer

by Katie Lee

Minneapolis — International Dairy Queen, Inc. (IDQ) has hired Phil Crawford to join the company as executive vice president and chief technology officer, reporting to the president and CEO. He leads IT and retail technology for the company and its more than 7,800 DQ® restaurants worldwide. “Technology plays an increasingly critical role in empowering our business for our employees, franchisees and fans,” says Troy Bader, president and CEO at International Dairy Queen. “Phil’s proven success as a restaurant business and technology leader positions us for continued growth as we live …

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