38 stories · last 7 days by relevance
Taco Bell is expanding AI-powered voice ordering in its drive-thrus through a partnership with Omilia, which already operates in nearly 900 U.S. restaurants, signaling continued industry momentum towa
Domino's Pizza is expanding its presence in China.
Golden Chick is launching a new marketing campaign, loyalty program, and digital-first strategy to compete in the competitive chicken tender category.
Audivi AI has released a new pricing model designed to make drive-thru automation more accessible to quick-service restaurant operators.
Despite access to unprecedented guest data, restaurants struggle to retain customers, suggesting that loyalty programs alone may not drive repeat visits without translating data into personalized expe
Federal health agencies are investigating a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to an unknown food source affecting 18 states, signaling ongoing vulnerabilities in fresh produce supply chain saf
Nearly half of U.S. diners switched their favorite restaurant last year, up from 33 percent the prior year—a shift that signals growing customer volatility and potential vulnerability in restaurant lo
Dutch Bros reports 74% rewards penetration among customers, with the company attributing boosted transactions and digital engagement to its loyalty program; the metric signals rewards programs' growin
Fast food chains are leveraging collectible cups and limited-edition merchandise to drive loyalty while menu prices have climbed significantly since 2019, signaling an industry strategy to offset cost
Wendy's is investing in digital sales, AI-powered ordering, and menu innovation to address weak customer traffic.
Starbucks' loyalty program, personalization features, and faster service are cited as drivers of higher store traffic and customer engagement.
Eric Knott, who scaled PDQ as COO before becoming CEO of Kansas City-based Tiki Taco, joined Restaurant Tech Trends to discuss growth discipline learned from both successes and failures.
Quick-service restaurants are receiving a higher share of citations in AI search results compared to fast-casual chains.
Ben Leventhal's Blackbird Labs tackles independent-restaurant invisibility and profitability through frequency-driven loyalty — a template applicable to multi-unit brands rethinking guest retention.
Labor scheduling is moving to AI — the trade headline signals cost pressure and tech adoption spreading across QSR.
Restaurant operators are adopting voice AI technology to capture phone call data as a way to recognize and engage customers across locations, suggesting the phone channel may become a key loyalty and
Fuzzy's Taco Shop is running a summer promotion through August 30 featuring limited-time menu items, rewards offers, and events designed to drive repeat visits and engagement during peak season.
Restaurant technology adoption remains a critical challenge; even sophisticated software fails to deliver value without consistent team engagement, according to a discussion with Decision Logic's CEO
GoTab has acquired Fishbowl, a guest marketing and loyalty platform, to expand its restaurant commerce ecosystem that includes POS, ordering, payments, and mobile solutions.
MarginEdge added real-time cost management, AI forecasting, and back-office automation capabilities to its platform.
Skyline Essentials launched SkAI, an AI forecasting platform designed to help independent and multi-unit restaurant operators predict revenue and labor costs—capabilities historically available mainly
Domino's is distributing $1 million in rewards to loyalty members following a penalty card issued to U.S. soccer player Folarin Balogun during a World Cup match, triggering a promotional commitment th
Restaurant brands are increasingly centering their apps around loyalty programs, personalization, and direct customer engagement rather than just order-ahead convenience, signaling a shift toward usin
MashMore Potato introduced an AI operating system it says is reducing management workload at its Albany location; the company frames this as a step toward making its model more scalable and software-d
Commerce media platforms struggle with measuring ad impact due to probabilistic attribution and modeled incrementality, but in-store data offers a potential solution to verify whether digital ads tran
A report indicates quick-service restaurants are receiving higher citation shares than fast-casual chains in AI search results.
A podcast episode explores how restaurants can use guest recognition and personalization technology to improve customer loyalty, addressing what the source frames as widespread guest retention challen
Restaurant chains may face new requirements to disclose full food ingredient information to consumers.
Loyalty program seasonal offer — vendor/brand content marketing without operator takeaway on program structure, ROI, or enrollment trend.
A 2026 survey finds 22% of diners use AI for restaurant recommendations, yet 83% of restaurants don't appear in AI responses, signaling that most operators lack the verified data infrastructure needed
Plant-based QSR scaling via franchising and grassroots loyalty—relevant for understanding how niche fast-casual concepts build unit growth and customer retention.
Loyalty platform migration is a real operational headache; this vendor guide covers the real risks (points loss, tier slippage) chains face when switching systems.
Guest post advising independent pizzeria owners on customer retention—speaks to single-unit or small-chain mindset, not multi-location brand strategy.
Broad H1 marketing spend trends mention AI but lack restaurant-specific data or outcomes.
Routine health violation closure story — no systemic trend or brand-specific exposure for multi-location operators.
Small bar-franchise success story — no broader operator takeaway on loyalty strategy or multi-unit growth.
Loyalty program integrating voting mechanics to drive repeat engagement — shows gamification as retention tactic.
AI visibility platform could tangentially help restaurant brands control their appearance in LLMs, but not directly operational or marketing-focused for QSR chains.
