The State of Digital Report (2026) by QU Pos - Restaurants Are Done Experimenting. Now They Have to Execute

Send us Fan MailRestaurants have crossed a line.AI adoption is accelerating. Digital sales are growing. Tech spend is rising.But here’s the problem… very little of it is actually working.In this episode, Carl sits down with Jen Kern (CMO at Qu) to break down the 2026 State of Digital Report and what it really tells us about the industry.This is not a conversation about trends. It’s a conversation about execution.Key themes include:Why 73% of brands are investing in AI, but only 9% see real impactHow fragmented tech stacks are holding back guest experienceWhy digital growth is exposing operational weaknessesThe shift from experimentation to operational disciplineWhat “serving smarter” actually means in practiceIf you care about where restaurants go next, this is one to watch.Download and read the full report on Qu's website hereSupport the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailCarl is joined by Rishi Nigam, CEO of Franklin Junction, to break down the most important stories shaping restaurants and consumer technology as we close out 2025. From GoPuff’s latest funding round to Cloudflare’s massive outage and the rising role of synthetic data, this episode looks at how operators should prepare for a rapidly changing year ahead. Topics covered:• GoPuff’s new funding and whether it signals discipline or deeper trouble• Q4 softness and why consumer spending may diverge sharply by income level in 2026• Kroger’s closure of e-commerce fulfillment centers and what it means for delivery economics• How synthetic data is reshaping forecasting, pricing, and marketing• Why Cloudflare’s outage shows every restaurant needs a real contingency planTimestamps:00:00 Intro01:00 GoPuff funding analysis06:00 Consumer spending outlook for 202612:00 Kroger closes fulfillment centers15:00 Synthetic data and the 80 percent prediction22:00 Cloudflare outage and industry riskListen, subscribe, and share your thoughts with us.Happy Thanksgiving from The Digital Restaurant.Support the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailSpecial guest host Kim DeCarolis joins Carl for a lively dive into the week’s biggest restaurant and tech stories for the last episode in Season 2.They start with American Express’s growing influence in restaurant loyalty and ask whether Amex has become the new partner of choice. Then they turn to Chipotle, where CEO Scott Boatwright is refocusing the brand around digital order accuracy — a move that says a lot about how consumer expectations have shifted.Next up: Yelp’s new AI Receptionist  - will it actually help operators, or just add more noise to the AI conversation? And in one of the week’s biggest business moves, Wonder’s acquisition of Spyce from Sweetgreen sparks a discussion on focus, automation, and where robotics fits into the future kitchen.Finally, Carl and Kim unpack the Uber + Toast partnership, a big move that could reshape the first-party and third-party delivery landscape.As always, The Digital Restaurant looks at how these headlines reveal where restaurant technology and the broader off-premise experience are headed next.01:30  – Q1: Is Amex becoming the restaurant partner of choice?05:00 – Q2: Chipotle turns its focus to order accuracy10:45  – Q3: Yelp Receptionist – Hype or Help for Operators?14:50  – Q4: Wonder buys Spyce from Sweetgreen – smart sale or bold gamble?19:40  – Q5: Uber + Toast partnership – what it means for delivery’s futureSupport the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailAre delivery marketplaces like DoorDash and Uber Eats about to be disrupted by ChatGPT?Carl welcomes Atul Sood, former McDonald’s and Kitchen United executive, to explore how AI and automation are reshaping the food world — from ChatGPT’s new app integrations to robotic hospital kitchens.Together they cover:DoorDash’s new Dot delivery robot and smart scale (2m 15)https://foodondemand.com/10012025/doordash-ceo-tony-xu-unveils-delivery-robot-and-smartscale/How ChatGPT’s App SDK could eliminate the need for delivery apps altogether (6m 35)https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/06/openai-launches-apps-inside-of-chatgpt/Aramark’s robotic kitchen for hospital meals (14m 15)https://chainstoreage.com/aramark-invests-food-service-robot-health-care-facilitiesInsights from Toast’s 2025 restaurant report (16m 55)https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/data/2025-voice-of-restaurant-industry-surveyHow bot armies may have fueled Cracker Barrel’s viral logo controversy (22m 45)https://www.nrn.com/casual-dining/cracker-barrel-s-logo-controversy-was-driven-by-bots-what-operators-should-learn-from-thisIt’s a packed episode on the intersection of AI, automation, and restaurant innovation — and what it all means for operators, brands, and consumers.Support the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailThis week on The Digital Restaurant, Carl is joined by Jeremy Julian, host of the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast and CRO of CBS NorthStar, for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of restaurant technology.We dive into highlights from FSTEC, explore new benchmarks from InTouch Insight’s QSR report on voice AI & kiosks, and tackle the perennial build vs buy question that every brand faces. We also look at ChowBus’ surprising pivot from delivery platform to full-stack tech provider and dig into the often-overlooked value of digital menu boards.From hospitality’s enduring role to the realities of ROI, this episode is packed with insights operators and tech providers alike won’t want to miss.Timestamps01:00 – Insights from FSTEC – tech must enhance guest & staff experience05:00 – Voice AI in QSRs – findings from InTouch Insight’s report15:50 – Build vs Buy – hidden costs and ROI realities20:50 – ChowBus pivots from delivery to full-stack tech platform24:50 – The untapped potential of digital menu boardsSupport the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailThis week, Carl welcomes special guest host Markus Pineyro of Oomi  Kitchen to dive into five major stories shaping restaurants and technology.Is first-party delivery really the answer? We explore the economics, customer experience, and hidden costs behind running your own fleet.Burger King’s security scare: An ethical hacker exposes vulnerabilities at RBI. What lessons should operators learn about digital risk and communication?DoorDash’s commerce platform expansion: Why their SaaS-like approach could reshape how independents think about tech stacks.FSTEC’s Tech Guide: Fresh survey data reveals gaps in loyalty, reviews, and back-of-house investment. Surprising stats operators need to see.Starbucks’ AI inventory control: From clipboards to cameras, we break down how imagery-based systems could transform accuracy and cash control.Plus, Markus shares the Oomi journey and what it means to be a digitally native restaurant.00:00 – Welcome & guest intro (Markus, Oomi Digital Kitchen) 01:00 – Q1: Is first-party delivery really the way to go? 06:00 – Q2: Burger King security flaw – lessons for operators 12:00 – Q3: DoorDash expands with new commerce platform 16:00 – Q4: FSTEC Tech Guide – surprising operator survey data 22:00 – Q5: Starbucks tests AI inventory control 26:00 – Markus on Oomi’s model & digital-native kitchens 28:30 – Wrap-up & how to connect with MarkusSupport the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailThis week on The Digital Restaurant, Carl is joined by Jennifer Kern, CMO of Qu, for a fast-moving conversation about the headlines shaping restaurants, technology, and consumer behavior.We kick off with a surprising stat: half of adults are ordering kids meals. (01:00) What does this say about QSR value wars, portion sizes, and how brands like CAVA and Starbucks are reframing value through experience, not just price?Next, we examine Chipotle’s partnership with Zipline (05:00), which involves testing drone delivery in Dallas. Is this more than PR? Carl breaks down the operational hurdles, costs, and what it means for scale.From there, we dive into talent and tech shifts: Duolingo’s social media star Zaria Parvez joins DoorDash (10:00), bringing 16M followers’ worth of creativity, and voice AI startups raise fresh funding (14:00)— even as Taco Bell and McDonald’s wrestle with reliability.Finally, we conclude with culture and agility: how restaurants capitalized on Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s engagement (21:00) to deliver playful, real-time marketing moments.Support the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The Digital Restaurant, Carl is joined by Emmy Award–winning storyteller Mike Duffy of Yum Crunch. Together they break down five timely stories shaping restaurants and tech:McDonald’s bets on web ordering through DoorDash—does convenience outweigh control?Yum Brands’ Byte platform fuels $9B in digital sales and rewrites the restaurant tech stack.Social listening lessons: Cracker Barrel’s backlash vs. KFC’s potato wedge comeback.Drone delivery’s tipping point—new FAA rules, Texas rollouts, pizza robots in LA, and the Ghost Kitchen 3.0 vision.The power and peril of influencers—when viral moments can make or break restaurants.Tune in for insights on how digital disruption, AI, and influence are shaping the future of food.00:50 – Big Macs without an app? McDonald’s and DoorDash team up on a web-based ordering channel. Does this remove friction or hand too much control to a third party?06:20 – How Byte is fueling Yum’s digital revolution Yum Brands surpasses $9B in digital sales with its in-house AI platform Byte, reshaping marketing, operations, and delivery.14:35 – Social listening: when to hear and when to act KFC wins big with a potato wedge comeback while Cracker Barrel faces backlash over redesigns. Lessons in consumer engagement.22:55 – Drone delivery is set to take off Regulations shift, GoTo Foods tests drones in Texas, Serve robots deliver pizzas in LA, and Ghost Kitchens 3.0 may be on the horizon.32:00 – Should operators be influencers? The risks and rewards of social media influence: a San Francisco chef’s career collapses after a viral TikTok, while CPK and Pinky Cole show how to turn moments into opportunities.Support the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailCarl returns from a July break with Bernadette Heier of Food on Demand to unpack five stories that signal where restaurant tech is heading next.01:00 – Olo acquired by Thoma Bravo • $2B all-cash deal • A chance to reset outside the public markets • Could this unlock faster innovation?04:30 – OpenTable’s AI Concierge • Built with OpenAI and Perplexity • Answers 80% of diner questions • Visibility now depends on how up-to-date your listing is09:00 – Golden Corral’s Flybuy-powered pickup • Off-premises rebrand: Golden Corral Favorites • Flybuy tracks customer approach to time food perfectly • Reflects the rise of drive-thru-style formats from legacy brands12:05 – AEO: Answer Engine Optimization • 70% of Google searches now end with no click • Video builds audience—but not search visibility • Q&A-style web content is the key to getting found by AI18:20 – VenHub at LAX • Automated grab-and-go using robotic arms • $250K startup cost, $300M in preorders • A new frontier in frictionless convenienceSupport the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter. 

Send us Fan MailThis week on The Digital Restaurant, I’m joined by a new co-host — Alex, an AI avatar — as we break down five headlines showing how delivery, automation, and AI are shaping the next wave of restaurant operations:01:10 – Olive Garden’s off-premise engine is hummingUber Direct integration, buy-one-take-one offers, and nearly 7% same-store sales growth from delivery alone05:25 – Yum China rolls out Q Smartt A voice-activated wearable assistant for managers, designed to surface operational insights in real time11:05 – GPT failed at report building QSR’s Mary Pillow Thompson spent a weekend trying to automate daily ops. The issue wasn’t the model—it was the lack of orchestration13:30 – DoorDash acquires Symbiosis for $175M A strategic bet on local commerce advertising, with closed-loop attribution from ad to order17:45 – Coco raises $80M to scale delivery bots Semi-autonomous, human-guided, and aiming for 10,000 units deployed by 2026Quote of the week: “Coco isn’t replacing humans — they’re redeploying them smarter.”Full episode: https://thedigitalrestaurant.buzzsprout.com#restauranttech #AI #offpremise #DoorDash #OliveGarden #CocoRobotics #YumChina #InvisibleTechnologiesShoutouts: Zach Rash, Joey Simons, Sam Altman, Ryan Graves, Mary Pillow Thompson, Alex (AI co-host)Support the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter.