Today in Restaurant and Grocery Tech: Domino’s Pushes Carside Pickup; Kroger Powers eComm Expansion With Robotic Warehouses

Today in restaurant and grocery tech news, Kroger leverages its partnership with Ocado to expand to new markets, and Publix launches 30-minute convenience delivery with Instacart. Plus, Domino’s rethinks its off-premises mix in response to labor challenges.

New Tracker: Restaurant Mobile and Loyalty Make a Tasty Combo for Customers

With quick-service restaurants (QSRs), fast-food chains and even dine-in establishments now generating up to 40% of revenues from repeat customers, experience is almost as important as delicious dishes in locking in loyalty. That’s a job best handled by digital systems. As stated in the latest PYMNTS Order To Eat Tracker®, a Paytronix collaboration, QSRs are now favoring mobile apps for this.

63% of Grocery Store Shoppers Say Loyalty Programs Influence Where They Shop

Amid all the changes that have taken place over the last 18 months during the digital shift, one institution stands out from the rest: the grocery store. While consumers have been willing to forgo shopping at other physical retail outlets, the brick-and-mortar grocery store remains singularly compelling for them.

Kroger Leverages Automated Warehouses to Expand Its US Reach as Grocers Eye Robotic Distribution

Grocery’s robotic transformation is speeding along. Kroger, the largest pure-play grocer in the United States, is leveraging automated technologies to expand to new markets and to bolster its presence in existing ones. Through its partnership with United Kingdom grocery technology company Ocado, Kroger plans to leverage automated warehouses to build an eCommerce business that will serve “tens of thousands” of new customers in Florida, CNBC reported Thursday (Nov. 4), and to establish a presence in the Northeast’s tri-state area.

Grocery Roundup: Frictionless Checkout Goes Big with Amazon, Circle K 

Amazon opens largest-yet “Just Walk Out” Amazon Fresh store; Circle K expands frictionless checkout to six more stores; Publix launches 30-minute delivery with Instacart; and Buyk doubles its NYC presence.

Domino’s Looks to Outsource Delivery to Customers With Self-Pickup of Pizzas

As digital off-premises ordering remains elevated even as labor conditions make it difficult for restaurants to meet demand, Domino’s is looking for ways to reduce its own labor costs by encouraging consumers to pick up the slack.