By RTN Staff - 2.16.2023
Restaurant technology solution provider Toast, which bills itself as the all-in-one digital technology platform built for restaurants and has established itself in recent years as a leader in restaurant management and POS systems, has acquired Delphi Display Systems, a leading provider of digital display solutions and drive-thru technology for quick-service restaurants. Toast’s acquisition of Delphi extends Toast’s growing suite of products that benefit quick service restaurant brands. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The Delphi website is already rebranded as Toast, suggesting that the Delphi product name will be phased out over time.
Toast’s solutions are designed to help restaurants improve speed of service, facilitate faster workflows for ordering and the kitchen, unlock additional revenue opportunities, and increase efficiency. According to Toast’s recent “Voice of the Restaurant Industry” survey, on average restaurants are managing seven service models including drive-thru. To help restaurants succeed as they navigate the changing landscape, Toast continues to innovate by focusing on solutions that optimize different service models to unlock growth and increase efficiency.
As restaurants’ needs evolve and the importance of developing incremental revenue streams grows, Toast aims to deepen its support for customers who operate a drive-thru service model. “Adding a drive-thru offering and digital menu boards enhances our offering for both small and large quick-serve restaurants,” said Toast CEO Chris Comparato. “We plan to continue to add more capabilities to our QSR offering in 2023 to drive even deeper penetration in this segment going forward.”
“Integrating Delphi into the Toast platform will enable us to deepen our support for customers who operate a drive-thru service model,” said Aman Narang, COO and Co-Founder of Toast, in a press statement.
Delphi’s technology has the potential to reach over 400,000 QSRs and fast-casual restaurants in the U.S. and should help Toast grow its product suite for QSRs and enterprise brands. Its products for QSRs target improvements to speed of service, faster workflows for ordering and back-of-house. Delphi’s digital signage hardware, software, and service solutions have been installed at over 35,000 locations across 70 countries. Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Delphi makes digital signage, hardware, and software for quick-service drive-thrus. Its technology is used by more than 40,000 restaurant locations around the world.
With the acquisition of Delphi, Toast has expanded its potential reach to the fast-food and fast-casual restaurants in the U.S. at a time when drive-thru sales are booming, and many brands are investing in drive-thrus. Toast’s acquisition of Delphi is significant because it expands the technology provider’s market share and services to larger fast-food chains. Toast has always focused on smaller restaurants, but it has recently been courting large fast-food chains as well, and buying Delphi marks another major step in that direction.
Moreover, Delphi has been keeping up with the latest in tech, and a new drive-thru display unveiled in December—the Endura 32X—supports AI voice ordering, integrates with loyalty programs, and can use AI to display personalized content, according to a press release. This makes Delphi a valuable addition to Toast’s product offerings.
Aside from acquisitions, Toast has been expanding its partnerships and products. Earlier in February, as reported here, Toast partnered with Google to integrate its POS system with Order with Google, giving restaurants an additional digital channel.
Toast has been making strategic acquisitions to expand its product offerings and solidify its position as a leader in restaurant technology. In addition to Delphi, Toast also acquired Sling in 2022, a cloud-based employee scheduling and communication platform, and xtraCHEF in 2021, a back-office technology solution for restaurants. With the addition of Delphi, Toast is now able to offer a comprehensive suite of digital technology solutions that cater to a range of restaurant types and sizes. The company’s products and services are designed to help restaurants improve their speed of service, increase efficiency, and unlock additional revenue opportunities.
The acquisition of Delphi is an important step for Toast as it looks to expand its offerings and compete with other restaurant technology providers in the quick-service space. With the rapid evolution of the restaurant industry, and the increasing importance of developing incremental revenue streams, Toast is positioning itself to be at the forefront of the industry’s technological advancements.
