5 restaurant tech predictions for 2026

Gaze into our restaurant tech crystal ball… | Photo: Shutterstock

‘Tis the season to make predictions, however doomed an exercise it may be. I went 2 for 5 on my guesses for 2025, a result I hope to improve upon in 2026. Here are my five restaurant tech predictions for the coming year.

Thoma Bravo buys more restaurant tech

The private-equity firm that acquired Olo this year has a history of roll-ups—i.e., buying multiple companies in the same sector and combining them to create a large, multifaceted player.

Olo makes sense as a first step in this strategy. The company already dominates the market for online ordering at chain restaurants, giving Thoma Bravo a strong foundation to build upon.

It would not be a surprising move in a sector that is still teeming with small suppliers, making it ripe for consolidation.

A restaurant brand starts a podcast

Podcasts have become a key part of modern brand-building. They can help people or companies get their name out there or establish their expertise in a certain area. They’re also low budget and can be easily clipped for sharing on social media. 

We’ve already seen a lot of restaurant tech companies following this playbook. And in 2026, I believe a restaurant brand will take the leap. 

It wouldn’t be unheard of. McDonald’s did a limited podcast series in 2018 called The Sauce, a Serial-style look at the furor surrounding its limited-time Szechuan Sauce. And Trader Joe’s has had a semi-regular show, Inside Trader Joe’s, since 2017. 

But it would only make sense for a brand with a highly engaged audience. My guesses: In-N-Out, Chick-fil-A or Taco Bell. And for a long shot, I’ll say Cracker Barrel, which could use a podcast as a way to re-introduce itself to customers after a trying year. 

Delivery robots hit a speed bump

2025 was a big year for delivery robots. Several automated delivery companies raised major funding rounds; new partnerships and rollouts abounded; and DoorDash even launched its very own robot. 

But with emerging technology, progress is often not linear. And as delivery robots proliferate, they’re starting to attract some unwanted attention. In Chicago, there’s already a push in some neighborhoods to reclaim the sidewalk from robots. And social media is still full of videos of the poor things getting stuck. 

I’m not saying robot delivery won’t eventually succeed. But I expect 2026 to be more of a learning year as companies grapple with some of the complications of scale.

A restaurant brand takes orders via ChatGPT

Walmart turned some heads in October when it announced it was partnering with ChatGPT to allow customers to shop within the chatbot.

It’s made possible by ChatGPT’s new Instant Checkout feature, which enables users to pay for things without leaving the chat interface.

ChatGPT parent OpenAI is currently looking for more businesses to sign up for Instant Checkout, and I fully expect a restaurant brand to take them up on it. For restaurants, the setup basically amounts to another ordering channel, and a fast-growing one at that. 

Who will do it? If I had to pick just one, my money would be on Wingstop. The fast-casual chain is intensely focused on driving more digital orders, and it has been an early adopter of new ordering technology in the past: It enabled voice ordering via Amazon Alexa way back in 2017, for instance.

‘Agentic AI’ becomes the new buzzword

Since ChatGPT kicked off the AI revolution back in late 2022, the dominant form of the technology has been generative: Think programs that spit out text or images or lines of code when prompted.

In 2026, generative AI will be eclipsed by AI agents, or bots that can do things on their own, without being asked. 

Expect to see a bunch of tech suppliers touting new “agentic” features in their products. And know that restaurants should be wary of the hype. As the Wall Street Journal pointed out earlier this year, a lot of products being pitched as agentic are more like assistants that still require human involvement.