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From the drive-thru to the kitchen, technology will continue to solve problemsFrom the drive-thru to the kitchen, technology will continue to solve problems

After focusing tech investments on off-premise, restaurants will look for solutions to raise convenience and lower cost of labor

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

May 18, 2021

9 Min Read
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Ask almost any operator and they’ll agree that the restaurant industry was headed toward a digital, off-premise-focused business before 2020 and that COVID-19 just accelerated that process. 

With shuttered dining rooms and mandated lockdowns in place, 2020 became the year of off-premise innovation, with a focus on delivery, digital ordering and payment and speeding the to-go process. But as the nation heads back to normal and dining rooms begin filling up, what’s next for must-have restaurant technology?

Here’s a look at some of the challenges the restaurant of the (near) future will likely face and the tech-based solutions that are expected to be in demand.

Drive-thrus will need a makeover

Even as diners return to restaurant dining rooms, t...

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About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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