PODCAST

The Digital Restaurant

Carl Orsbourn

The latest on technology affecting the restaurant industry - for better and for worse.

business management

All Episodes

25:58

Great Buy or Great Sell? - Spyce heads to Wonder

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/11/10

Send us a textSpecial 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

28:00

Chat GPT & The End of Marketplaces?

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/10/13

Send us a textAre 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

30:03

Build vs Buy - The Question every Restaurant Exec...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/09/29

Send us a textThis 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

29:36

Is First Party Ordering Losing the Fight?

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/09/15

Send us a textThis 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

27:33

Why Agile Marketing is the Essential Restaurant Skill...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/09/02

Send us a textThis 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

45:45

Beware, Be Kind of Viral Influencers

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/08/18

Send us a textIn 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

22:32

AEO is the new SEO: How AI is rewriting the digital...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/07/21

Send us a textCarl 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

23:33

Who sells $1 Billion of Ads to Restaurants?

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/06/23

Send us a textThis 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

29:54

Rethinking the Restaurant Tech Stack

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/06/09

Send us a textWhat’s Inside This Episode?00:00 – Live from the National Restaurant Show Carl visits Chicago and joins Rich Faltot at Point B’s new Restaurant Technology Innovation Center.“We're stood in a room with 70 screens — and not one is for show.”01:00 – Why restaurant tech stacks are broken Legacy systems, data silos, fragmented integrations, and the cost of doing nothing.POS replacements are “open heart surgery” for restaurantsTransformation takes 18–36 months on averageSuccess requires

27:47

Will Autolane be the future for pickup?

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/05/26

Send us a textThis week on The Digital Restaurant, Carl is joined by restaurant real estate expert and 10Rep founder Kyle Inserra. Together they explore the rise of kitchen automation, curbside robotics, and why DoorDash is pausing its Voice AI. Packed with insights from the National Restaurant Show, this episode covers the latest in tech, data, and operations shaping the restaurant world.Timestamps:00:00:40 – AI Dominates the National Restaurant ShowAI matures beyond hype as operators start real

27:29

Who wins the Super App Race? - with Guest Host Alayna...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/05/12

Send us a textIn this week’s episode of The Digital Restaurant, Carl is joined by Alayna Sullivan, Senior Director of Corporate Comms at Olo, fresh from Food on Demand. Together, they cover five big stories shaping the restaurant and off-premise landscape, including DoorDash’s mega acquisitions, Chipotle's new catering pilot with Olo, and the rising footprint of Wonder.Timestamps:00:01:30 – Chipotle x Olo Catering PartnershipChipotle pilots Olo’s Catering Plus with promising early

30:20

From Smart Kitchens to Smart Menus with Guest Host...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/04/28

Send us a textThis week on The Digital Restaurant, Carl and guest co-host Jason Berkowitz dive into:Qu's move toward smart kitchens with integrated IoT systems (0m 50s)A sharp reflection on the restaurant "disruptors" that weren't — from Zume Pizza to Ghost Kitchens (4m 35)Why Chipotle's negative sales aren't just about the economy — and how training and tech are key to recovery (11m 05)A fascinating new look at menu personalization trends with EveryBite data (17m10)How

26:20

How will Tariffs affect Restaurants? - with Guest...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/04/14

Send us a textThis week, Carl is joined by Deborah Matteliano, the Global Head of Restaurants at AWS, for a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from tariffs and avocados to AI strategy, Seamless’s surprising comeback, and the limits of restaurant robotics. Drawing from her experience at Uber Eats and now at Amazon, Deborah offers sharp insights on how data, delivery, and design are reshaping the restaurant landscape.Topics include:1m 15: How Chipotle’s avocado strategy is shielding it

24:57

Is Bolt Coming for Uber in America? - with Guest...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/03/31

Send us a textThis week on The Digital Restaurant, Carl is joined by Yaro Tsyhanenko, founder of PickPad, to break down the headlines shaping restaurants and tech:⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: Meet guest host Yaro, CEO of PickPad 01:00 – Why did Yum Brands partner with Nvidia? 05:37 – What does Qu’s State of Digital 2025 Report reveal? 13:06 – Why did Starbucks acquire Empower Delivery? 18:47 – Are loyalty programs evolving or stuck in the past? 26:02 – Could Bolt disrupt Uber and DoorDash in North

24:50

Are Restaurants Getting Tired of Tech? - with Guest...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/03/17

Send us a textWelcome to The Digital Restaurant! Carl is joined by Bernadette Heier, Managing Editor from Food on Demand, marking the first time a professional broadcaster joins the show.[00:01:07] Planes, (Trains?) & Automobiles – A New Kind of Off-Premise? Shake Shack is expanding its partnership with Delta Airlines, bringing its brand to first-class passengers. As restaurants seek new ways to expand off-premise, is the future in the skies—or even on freeways?[00:03:04] Dashboard Dining: The

25:38

Just Eat, Just Sold - The Global Marketplace...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/03/03

Send us a textWelcome to this week’s episode of The Digital Restaurant Podcast! Carl is joined by special guest Olga Lopategui, a leading expert in restaurant loyalty and digital engagement, to break down the latest innovations shaping the restaurant industry.⏱ [01:07] – Just Salad Gets $200M InvestmentWhat makes Just Salad’s tech stack unique?How will this funding impact digital transformation in restaurants?Will they use the investment for expansion, technology, or both?⏱ [04:42] – Just Eat

33:35

Why does Yum want to own the tech stack - with guest...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/02/17

Send us a textCarl welcomes guest host Cijoy Olickal, a restaurant tech expert, to break down key industry trends.🔹 2025 Restaurant Industry Outlook – $1.5T in sales, shifting consumer habits, tech’s impact on profitability, and labor challenges. Articles One, Two, and Three🔹 Yum! Brands' Tech Strategy – Is building a proprietary tech stack the right move for a global franchise? Articles One and Two🔹 Wonder’s Expansion – Mark Lore’s meal kit & marketplace strategy—how does it compare to

21:20

Our 100th episode, one host down but Chain of Thought...

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/02/06

Send us a text 🚀 The Digital Restaurant Podcast - 100th Episode Special! 🎉 Welcome to a milestone episode of The Digital Restaurant! This is our 100th episode, and while it's a moment of celebration, it also comes with a bittersweet note—Meredith is off to Seattle to take on an exciting EVP role at Starbucks. We’ll miss her insights, but the show must go on! In this episode, Carl Orsbourn takes the mic solo to explore the next evolution of restaurant and retail tech: moving beyond SaaS into

25:28

The 2025 Prediction Show

The Digital Restaurant ·

2025/01/13

Send us a textOn today's episode of The Digital Restaurant, we dive into bold predictions for the year ahead, including the rise of Indian cuisine in delivery, the growing role of automated restaurant technology, and speculation on potential acquisitions and IPOs in the year ahead. We also reflect on last year’s forecasts to see how they held up. 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...

19:38

Tony Delivers takes on the marketplaces

The Digital Restaurant ·

2024/12/30

Send us a textThis episode of The Digital Restaurant features Tony Illes, founder of Tony Delivers, a new food delivery service disrupting the Seattle market. The conversation delves into the impact of Seattle’s “Pay Up” legislation, which has reshaped the food delivery landscape, reducing delivery volumes for platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats. Tony shares his journey from a side hustle as a delivery driver to creating a business aimed at empowering drivers and improving customer experien...

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The Digital Restaurant

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