California Pizza Kitchen to deploy 1K automated kiosks by 2029
A partnership with retail tech company T-ROC Global could help CPK reverse the steady erosion of its storebase by bringing the brand to more consumers.
A California Pizza Kitchen-branded vending machine, located at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, can prepare barbecue chicken pizza, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, kung pao and Bolognese in just 90 seconds. On busy days, passengers order 140 pizzas. After a pilot in Dallas and Boston airports, the restaurant chain intends to deploy up to 1,000 autonomous vending machines over the next three years at airports, universities, hospitals, hotels, and office complexes.
California Pizza Kitchen, which operates 104 company-owned restaurants and has 32 franchises, believes these kiosks will help expand the brand in high-traffic locations where dining options can be scarce due to high labor and food costs. CEO Michael Beacham notes that the brand has strong name recognition from selling frozen products at over 20,000 grocery stores.
Although the chain operates in only 25 states, the company is cautiously investing in brand expansion after filing for bankruptcy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beacham explains that consumers value convenience but are frustrated by high fees from food delivery apps. Restaurant vending technologies have improved, enabling machines to produce pizzas that taste as good as those served in the restaurant.
After testing multiple oven manufacturers, California Pizza Kitchen chose TurboChef for its ability to cook frozen food quickly and maintain a crispy texture. However, expanding into kiosks involves risks, as the restaurant industry's history with technology has been mixed. While mobile ordering and in-store digital kiosks have succeeded, AI-powered voice ordering systems and food preparation robots have faced challenges.
Industry experts advise that companies must assess whether kiosks align with their brand vision, educate consumers, and choose strategic locations. California Pizza Kitchen's decision marks its first major test under new ownership. The chain was sold to a private equity firm for less than $300 million in December. The new leadership plans to standardize payment systems, redesign interiors, and partner with Convive Brands for restaurant operations.
Despite the industry's history of poor restaurant technology investments, Beacham remains optimistic about the potential of autonomous kiosks to increase convenience and reduce costs.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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