KFC opened a next-generation store format called 'Open House' in McKinney, Texas, on September 27. The 3,400-square-foot restaurant features self-order kiosks, digital menu boards, a dual-lane drive-thru with a dedicated mobile pickup lane, and table service. Operating hours run from 6:00 a.m. to midnight to test breakfast, late-night items, and specialty beverages. Parent KFC Corporation operates more than 30,000 locations globally.
Hospitality Technology's QSR section rounds up restaurant technology developments: Presto raised $10 million to accelerate voice AI; global QSR kiosk deployments head toward 750,000; Presto Voice AI integrates with Toast POS; Omilia's founder discussed scaling voice AI from single-store pilots to 890+ drive-thrus; and Pilot is updating digital ordering and adding kiosks across 900 North American travel centers.
Canopy's 2026 Restaurant Tech Report, based on a national survey of 1,007 U.S. adults, finds 94% of consumers now factor technology into where they dine, up sharply from 80% in 2025. More than a third (37%) abandoned an order entirely due to malfunctioning technology, and 29% changed their ordering method, switched to a competitor, or walked out when confronted with an unexpected digital tip prompt. McDonald's was named the top QSR tech experience provider for a second consecutive year (34%), with Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell rounding out the top three. Only 20% of kiosk users said self-service kiosks work seamlessly every time, unchanged from 2025; consumer exposure to AI drive-thru voice ord…
Hospitality Technology reports that global QSR self-ordering kiosk deployments are forecast to top 750,000 by 2030, up from 450,000 today, with the Americas holding the largest share and the U.S. hosting nearly one-third of all units worldwide. Brands including Portillo's, Qdoba, Bobby's Burgers, WOWorks and Mokas Coffee & Eatery shared practices showing the primary ROI is not labor reduction but higher ticket averages and peak-hour throughput. About 35% of Portillo's dine-in orders come through kiosks, and the chain has made three to five 24-inch kiosks standard in new builds; a Starbucks UK pilot showed 12% higher average transaction value than traditional POS. Operators also stress place…
WOWorks, parent of Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, Barberitos and Zoup! Eatery, has opened 27 restaurants this year with 12 more in development, bringing its footprint to nearly 240 nationwide and a pace of nearly 38 new locations by year-end. Co-branding accounts for nearly half of year-to-date openings, but the clash between pay-first and pay-last workflows created a register bottleneck. The company responded by deploying self-ordering kiosks, with more than 10 locations now kiosk-only and a legacy register kept solely for cash. CEO Kelly Roddy said kiosks let guests enter a full multi-brand order at once and route it to different stations, while…
Quick-service chains including McDonald's and Burger King are adjusting operations to fill the hospitality vacuum created by digital ordering. McDonald's rolled out a 'Make it Golden' push requiring crew to check in with lobby guests, is integrating guest satisfaction scores into franchisee performance evaluations and is preparing a global retraining program covering two million team members. Burger King is directing store leadership to prioritise order verification, maintain visible counter coverage and move kiosks to the side of the lobby. HT research shows 45.4% of consumers still prefer ordering at a traditional counter, while 26.6% say kiosks make dining feel impersonal.
Pilot Company is installing 156 self-order kiosks across 78 Wendy's locations in its North American travel centers as part of broader digital initiatives. Pilot is a franchisee of several quick-service brands including Arby's and Subway. Gemma Patterson, senior director of restaurant relations and e-commerce at Pilot, said bringing digital platforms into travel centers aims to enhance convenience, improve speed of service and create a more consistent guest experience. HT's 2026 Restaurant Technology Study found the share of operators with "no plans to add kiosks" rose from 52.8% to 68%, though this may reflect a natural shift in the adoption cycle. HT's forthcoming 2026 Guest Engagement Stu…
Pilot Company is modernizing quick-service ordering across its 900 North American travel centers by adopting the preferred ordering technology platforms of its restaurant partners Wendy's, Arby's and Subway. The rollout is complete at Wendy's and Arby's locations and underway at Subway. Upgrades include mobile ordering, loyalty participation and brand offers, plus integration with third-party delivery providers. Pilot has installed 156 self-order kiosks at 78 Wendy's locations, with kiosks that are ADA-compliant.