DoorDash and Wing Expand Drone Delivery to Metro Atlanta
DoorDash and Wing are extending their drone delivery service to metro Atlanta, starting with restaurants near Tanger Outlets in Locust Grove. Eligible customers can select a drone option at checkout and expect meals within roughly 20 minutes. The rollout adds to a partnership that began in 2022 and already operates in Virginia, Dallas‑Fort Worth and Charlotte, completing tens of thousands of deliveries. The move supports DoorDash’s broader multi‑modal fulfillment strategy that blends human couriers, drones and ground robots.
Tanya Dixon, Salata Salad Kitchen
Tanya Dixon, Senior Director of Off‑Premise & Catering at Salata, steers the brand’s digital strategy and innovation for catering and take‑out channels. Over the past three years she has delivered more than 7 % annual growth in catering revenue and boosted...
Steve Smyth, Taco John’s
Steve Smyth, with more than two decades at Taco John’s, has overseen operations, training, and now leads the Restaurant Technology division. Over the past 13 years he launched mobile ordering and delivery, migrated the chain to a cloud‑based POS, and...
Olo CEO Unpacks Vision for Second-Party Future
At its Beyond4 event in Phoenix, Olo CEO Noah Glass unveiled a “second‑party” ordering strategy anchored by the upcoming Olo App and Olo Network. The Olo App, slated for launch later this year, will charge no commission and give restaurants...
Swipe Savvy Acquires GiftAMeal to Expand Restaurant Loyalty and Social Impact
Swipe Savvy announced the acquisition of GiftAMeal, integrating the photo‑based donation platform into its restaurant loyalty and analytics suite. GiftAMeal lets diners scan a QR code, snap a photo and trigger a meal donation to local food banks, while sharing...
Loyalty Programs Level Up With Fast Value, Tiers and Plenty of Tweaks
Loyalty programs are evolving as consumers seek fast, tangible value amid a price‑sensitive environment. A PAR/Punchh survey shows 70% of U.S. diners rely on loyalty perks to manage costs, while McDonald’s saw loyalty‑driven sales climb 20% to nearly $37 billion in...
How AI Made April Fools’ Day Even More Confusing
Brands are blurring the line between prank and genuine offer on April Fools’ Day, using AI‑driven creativity to spark buzz while also rolling out real promotions. Restaurants such as Lee Kum Kee, Baskin‑Robbins, BJ’s, and Dunkin’ combined tongue‑in‑cheek campaigns with authentic discounts, including...
McDonald’s Türkiye Introduces Video Game-Changing Promotion
McDonald’s Türkiye launched a Pro Gamer Menu that bundles a Big Mac, fries, onion rings, Coke and a new “Archie” controller accessory. The Archie device links analog sticks so in‑game characters keep moving while diners eat, preventing automatic kicks for inactivity....
Kiplan Welsch, Via 313
Restaurant veteran Kiplan Welsch, with more than two decades of multi‑unit leadership at Chili’s, P.F. Chang’s, BJ’s and Bluestone, was appointed President of Via 313 Detroit Style Pizza in July 2023. Under his guidance the Austin‑based brand, backed by Savory Restaurant Fund,...
Brian Pearson, Mendocino Farms
Brian Pearson, the newly appointed Chief Technology Officer at Mendocino Farms, is a veteran of restaurant technology with a background in operations and executive leadership. He has overseen large‑scale projects such as POS modernization, digital ordering, catering platforms, and AI‑driven...
Fighting Back: How Restaurants Are Reclaiming the Customer Relationship
Restaurants are actively fighting delivery‑platform dominance by building first‑party ordering channels, adopting B2B order‑management tools, and pursuing regulatory relief. Large chains such as McDonald’s and Domino’s have launched branded apps to capture customers directly, while independents turn to services like...
How the Uber Eats Fees Stack Up Against 3PD Competitors
Uber Eats announced on March 11 a revision to its Marketplace fee structure, raising the Lite tier commission from 15% to 20% and increasing the pickup fee to 7% for all tiers. The Plus tier remains at 25% but jumps...
Why Food Allergen Laws Are Pushing Restaurants to AI
New allergen disclosure laws in California and New York are set to reshape menu transparency for restaurants in 2026. California’s Senate Bill 68, effective July 1, requires chains with 20 or more locations to list the nine major allergens on...
Garrett Nicholson, Google
Google has appointed Garrett Nicholson to head its Global Food Ordering Partnerships within the Search and Gemini Partnerships team. Nicholson brings 13 years of experience at Google, spanning Ads, Commerce, and Search, and a two‑year stint in sales at IAC....
Francesca Aquino, Science on Call
Francesca Aquino, VP of Solutions & AI Transformation at Science On Call, oversees support operations and AI‑driven automation for the company’s 24/7, platform‑agnostic restaurant technology support service. The service now covers more than 1,000 U.S. restaurant locations, integrating with major...