Le Petit Chef, set to open in Dallas next month, brings 3D projection mapping to the dining table, transforming each course into a visually immersive experience. Animated art, including a playful miniature chef, is projected onto tables, making the meal feel like dinner theater. Each dish is introduced with themed visuals, such as a garden appearing for a burrata salad, before the actual food is served, blending light, color and storytelling for an innovative culinary event. The immersive dining concept, already popular in 44 countries, will accommodate just 40 guests per seating and offer five-course meals ranging from $79 for children to $189 for adults.

Starbucks is exploring predictive ordering technology that could enable the company to anticipate customer orders before they are placed. At the recent Dreamforce AI conference, CEO Brian Niccol highlighted how AI-powered tools could improve customer experience by allowing the coffee giant to pre-position inventory and reduce out-of-stocks. The innovations are meant to build on Starbucks' current AI investments, optimizing demand forecasting while supporting, not replacing, the human connection in stores.

Shin Starr has developed an advanced autonomous kitchen system called Autowok, specifically designed for its OLHSO Korean BBQ food truck, which will participate in TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 as part of the Startup Battlefield 200. This AI-powered, modular robotics setup automates the entire cooking, serving and cleaning process, with only a human required to drive the truck and prep ingredients. The system intelligently times meal preparation to ensure dishes are cooked fresh and finished just as the truck arrives at the customer's location.

A new pilot program in Jersey City enables customers to order food through Grubhub and choose delivery by Avride's self-driving robots if they are within the service area. This initiative is part of a broader industry push to use robotic delivery to reduce labor costs and improve reliability, following similar efforts by major competitors like Uber Eats and DoorDash.

The restaurant industry is experiencing a new wave of digital ordering channels, with OpenAI integrating services such as Uber, DoorDash, Instacart and OpenTable into ChatGPT, allowing users to order food and make reservations directly through the app. Square and Cash App have launched Neighborhoods on Cash App, a platform that enables local businesses to create branded storefronts and offer delivery. DoorDash has partnered with Waymo and Serve Robotics to enhance autonomous delivery, while Magic, an AI company focused on hospitality, has secured $10 million in funding to develop a customer relationship management platform.

Danish startup MATR Foods uses solid-state fermentation to transform legumes, vegetables and grains into meat alternatives. The process involves inoculating chopped plant ingredients with a food-approved fungi strain, which binds the mix, increases protein content, and produces umami flavors and a juicy texture, all without added flavors or texture agents.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are experimenting with food production techniques to address the challenges of deep space exploration, such as the lack of fresh ingredients and the need for long-lasting, nutritious meals. The NASA Vegetable Production System has enabled astronauts to grow salad crops in microgravity, while Aleph Farms has produced cultivated meat using 3D bioprinting technology. These innovations not only support space missions, but also offer insights for sustainable nutrition on Earth, European Space Agency astronaut Rosemary Coogan says.

October is National Cybersecurity Month, and the National Restaurant Association is aiming to educate everyone about online threats and promote tech-based best practices to protect your business. Follow these tips to help keep your businesses and customers safer from cyber harm.