Friday, July 18, 2025
Read the Magazine Subscribe

software/technology

Industry Voicesrestaurantsretailerssoftware/technology

Essential Convenience

by Katie Lee

— By Bart Waldeck —   Retailers will need to embrace creative innovations in order to thrive in 2023 and beyond.   The retail landscape doesn’t look like it used to anymore — from buy online, pickup in store (BOPIS) and curbside delivery, to touchless shopping and scan-and-go checkouts, retail shopping trends have dramatically changed, both out of necessity due to the pandemic and evolving consumer preferences. Since COVID-19, retailers have had to shift store layouts, rethink operations and leverage new technologies to offer customers an innovative — and seamless …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newsretailerssoftware/technologysupply chain

Walmart Opens First Market Fulfillment Center in Arkansas

by Katie Lee

Bentonville, Ark. — Walmart opened its first high-tech Market Fulfillment Center in Arkansas at Store 100 located at 406 S. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville in May, underlining the retailer’s strategic move toward expanding the use of its stores as fulfillment centers to enhance the shopping experience for customers everywhere. The market fulfillment center in Bentonville, Ark., is the first in the state. It’s the second nationwide, with the first being a proof of concept located at Store #2142 in Salem, N.H. Walmart plans to continue opening MFCs in select stores …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Industry Voicessecurity/loss preventionsoftware/technologyvendors

Threat Detection + Rapid Response

by Katie Lee

— By Dave Fraser —   Protecting facilities with AI gun detection technology.     The grim reality in today’s day and age is that active shooting incidents are on the rise. In fact, according to the FBI, active shooter incidents jumped more than 50% in 2021. And as we already saw with multiple mass shooting events in 2022, and 2023, the problem is not going away. This alarming trend is placing increased pressure on facilities to be ready in the event that a mass shooter walks through their doors. …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designNewsrestaurantssoftware/technology

sweetgreen Pilots Automation at New Store

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — sweetgreen has opened its first restaurant powered by automation, accelerating the industry’s adoption of advanced technology and taking steps toward the future of dining. The pilot store, located in Naperville, Ill., debuts new technology called the sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen, designed to enhance the customer experience and food quality, with a focus on fresh ingredients, fast service and friendly hospitality. With the advancement of automation playing a large role across industries today, sweetgreen is eager and excited to be an early adopter in the space, opening the first …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurantssoftware/technology

PizzaForno Expands into Georgia with 3 New Automated Pizzerias in Atlanta

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — PizzaForno, North America’s first automated pizzeria that bakes artisan pizza in less than 3 minutes, 24 hours a day, is officially expanding into Georgia. The first of three new locations will open on May 6 in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood, with two additional locations to open around metro Atlanta later in May. The three entrepreneurs responsible for this expansion are business partners Tyler Young, Paul Nair and Mick Patel. Young has always had a passion for the restaurant industry, and started running restaurants when he was in college. Nair …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newsrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Presto and CKE Restaurants Partner for Drive-Thru Voice AI Automation

by Katie Lee

San Carlos, Calif. — Presto Automation Inc., one of the largest drive-thru automation technology providers in the hospitality industry, has expanded its partnership with CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. Presto will be rolling out its artificial intelligence (AI) powered solution, Presto Voice™, to automate voice ordering at participating drive-thru locations nationwide. The voice automation technology, which has already been implemented at select Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s drive-thru locations within the United States, increases revenue, improves labor productivity and enhances the guest and staff …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
energy managementNewspeoplesoftware/technologyvendors

Energy Efficiency Leader Joins Budderfly as Chief Operating Officer

by Katie Lee

Shelton, Conn. — Budderfly, a premier sustainability partner for businesses with repeatable footprints, has added energy services leader Scott Avirett as its new chief operating officer (COO). Avirett will lead the development and implementation of an integrated customer experience and delivery strategy to ensure operational excellence and meet rapidly growing demand for Budderfly’s sustainability services across North America. Avirett brings two decades of global experience in sustainable energy & infrastructure operations and general management to Budderfly. He previously built and led high-performance teams at Johnson Controls and Energy Systems Group …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Industry Voicessignagesoftware/technologyvendors

Digital Evolution

by Katie Lee

— By John Moezzi — What to expect in 2023 digital signage for retail and restaurants.   Another year has passed — since the pandemic started — and we continue to see an uptick in consumers in stores and restaurants. However, even for decades before the pandemic, there were debates between online and brick-and-mortar, where some think one abolishes the other, while others think they play well together. Perhaps, it’s important to know what they can do for each other. Let’s explore the trends for 2023 and how online and …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeoplerestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Presto Promotes 2 Executives to President and COO

by Katie Lee

San Carlos, Calif. — Presto Automation Inc., one of the largest drive-thru automation technology providers in the hospitality industry, has promoted Dan Mosher to president and Xavier Casanova to chief operating officer, effective immediately. “Dan and Xavier have been key leaders at Presto and were instrumental in successfully developing and implementing Presto Voice, the industry’s most advanced drive-thru AI voice ordering platform,” says Presto’s chairman and interim CEO, Krishna Gupta. “I am delighted to partner with these two and the rest of our exceptional management team as we continue to …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
jan/sanNewspeoplerestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Imperial Dade Hires First Chief Digital Officer

by Katie Lee

Jersey City, N.J. — Imperial Dade, a leading distributor of foodservice packaging and janitorial supplies, has hired Devashish Saxena as its first chief digital officer. He will be focused on identifying how the organization can use the latest digital technologies to create a world-class omnichannel customer experience powered by data science. For over 20 years, Devashish Saxena has built digital organizations and guided them in making data-driven decisions to deliver business impact. Most recently Devashish led digital transformation as vice president, chief digital officer at PPG, a Pittsburgh-based coatings manufacturer. …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts