Viewpoints

What the Summer of Food Recalls Revealed About Restaurant Data Gaps

Lettuce. Jalapenos. Eggs. Blueberries. Summer 2026 was the summer of food recalls, with multiple incidents impacting restaurants and other food businesses nationwide. While recalls don’t typically originate at the restaurant level, recent incidents involved restaurants—including […]

Viewpoints

Why First-Party Digital Ordering Is Becoming a Strategic Priority for Restaurants

Third-party delivery marketplaces have long helped restaurants expand their digital footprint. They’ve brought in new customers for restaurants, made ordering easier and built out delivery infrastructure so operators don’t have to build it all themselves. […]

In the Spotlight

Why Food Labeling Is the Next Back-of-House Process Ready for Automation

Handwritten food labels aren’t failing because they’ve stopped working. They’re failing because commercial kitchens have changed. Walk into almost any hospitality business today and it’s obvious how much the industry has evolved. Customers book tables […]

In the Spotlight

Why Starbucks Was Right to Pull the Plug on Its AI Inventory System

In the current rush to automate restaurant operations, it takes some discipline to admit when a promising technology is not earning its place in the operation. Starbucks appears to have reached that point with Automated […]

Viewpoints

Why Restaurants Are Rediscovering Direct Mail in the Digital Age

It’s 5:47 p.m. A family is gathered at home and someone pops the most controversial question known to mankind: “What’s for dinner?” One person opens DoorDash. Another searches Google Maps. Someone else hits the Instagram […]