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The Wedstraunt Awards for 2019
From McDonald's purchase of Dynamic Yield to Chick-fil-A's operational edge, these are the companies and executives that shaped the restaurant industry this year.
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The QSR's customer service and focus on technology have driven meteoric growth, making it the third-largest U.S. restaurant chain despite negative publicity and city bans. Read more ➔
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Johnson emerged from former CEO Howard Schultz's shadow, identifying the coffee chain's pain points and using his tech background to boost innovation and sales. Read more ➔
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The world's largest fast food chain's $300 million purchase of an artificial intelligence company signaled the start of a technology-first age for restaurants. Read more ➔
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The startup has an aggressive growth plan to open 400 kitchen centers in the next few years, helping launch more delivery-only restaurants and differentiating itself with integrated tech platforms. Read more ➔
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The top-your-own pizza chain is leveraging savvy tech investments and off-premise optimization to win a hefty — and growing — slice of market share from legacy brands and nimble newcomers. Read more ➔