DoorDash and delivery robots played starring roles in 2025. | Photo courtesy of DoorDash
If you had fallen into a coma at the end of 2024 and just woken up, you’d probably have a lot of questions right now.
Wonder bought who? DoorDash did what? Robots deliver food now?
OK, maybe those aren’t the first things you’d ask after regaining consciousness for the first time in 12 months. But the point is, a lot changed for restaurant tech 2025. A wave of M&A shook up the competitive landscape. AI continues to transform just about everything we do. And yes, robots deliver food now.
So, whether you were actually in a coma (we hope not) or just want a recap, here’s a look at the biggest headlines in restaurant tech in 2025.
DoorDash goes on a buying spree
In the space of five weeks last spring, the delivery giant unveiled plans to acquire U.K. counterpart Deliveroo, reservations service SevenRooms and ad tech firm Symbiosys.
The deals were the clearest sign yet that DoorDash wants to be far more than just a delivery company, but a full-service technology provider for restaurants, with a foot in both the on- and off-premise worlds.
The company underscored those amibitions in September, when it unveiled a batch of new products including its very own delivery robot, Dot, and a “smart scale” for restaurants to help improve order accuracy.
DoorDash’s aggressive growth has also shaken up the competitive landscape in restaurant tech. The company now competes not just with Uber and Grubhub, but also other big tech providers like Toast and Square. And it has prompted them to respond. Toast, for instance, is teaming up with Uber to make their products more deeply integrated.
Read more: DoorDash wants to be everywhere
AI reshapes the web
It’s still early, but artificial intelligence is starting to change how customers interact with restaurants online.
The most prominent example is Google’s AI Overview feature, which uses AI to generate a response to search queries. It has forced restaurant brands to consider how they can better appeal to AI in order to show up in that overview.
Consumers are also increasingly using chatbots like ChatGPT to browse the web and even buy things. AI-driven traffic was up more than 800% on Black Friday, and companies like OpenAI are developing AI agents that will be able to do things like order food on a person’s behalf.
All of this will have implications for restaurants, though it is still too early to say exactly what they will be.
Read more: How restaurants can survive the new Wild West of web search
Robot delivery revs up
The concept of robots delivering our food became more real in 2025. Financing flowed into the automated delivery space, and the number of robots roaming U.S. sidewalks was set to more than double as companies used the capital to scale up their fleets.
DoorDash, Uber and Grubhub partnered with robot delivery companies to expand their services as demand for delivery continues to grow. Long-term, they hope that automation will bring down costs and make shorter deliveries more efficient.
If the bots can keep this up, they could change how delivery works, at least in large cities. But there are some hurdles ahead: Delivery robots still need help navigating obstacles, and they’re also facing pushback in some communities.
Read more: Restaurant delivery robots are ready for their close-up
Olo goes private
The online ordering giant hit the market in May after an underwhelming four years on Wall Street. It sold for $2 billion to Thoma Bravo, a private-equity firm focused on the tech sector.
The deal ended speculation that Olo might be acquired by another supplier, creating a restaurant tech superpower. Instead, it will look to continue its goal of delivering “hospitality at scale” without the scrutiny of public shareholders.
But there’s still a possibility Olo gets paired up with another player: Thoma Bravo has a history of consolidating companies that serve the same market, and Olo gives it a strong foundation to build on.
Read more: Olo’s restaurant tech odyssey will continue in private
Wonder keeps expanding
The digital food hall/delivery/meal kit company founded by Marc Lore had a busy year. It acquired Grubhub, Tastemade and Sweetgreen’s salad-making robot. It raised $600 million at a reported $7 billion valuation, valuing it more than many restaurant companies. It revamped its Blue Apron meal kit service. And it recast its various parts as a “mealtime platform” focused on making food more convenient and accessible for busy consumers.
Oh yeah, it also opened about 80 storefronts around the Northeast, and plans to more than double its footprint next year, to 200.
Whether Wonder can truly reinvent the restaurant model remains to be seen. But there’s no denying that it has become one of the most fascinating companies in the business—and one of the most acquisitive.
Read more: Wondering about Wonder
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
