5 tech things: Walmart partners with Wing for drone deliveries in Dallas

In this special edition of its 5 Things series, Food Management highlights five recent technology-related developments affecting the foodservice world.

Here’s your list for today:

1.    Walmart teams with Wing on Dallas area drone deliveries

Wing, the drone delivery service owned by Alphabet, is teaming up with Walmart to offer deliveries in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Walmart says the partnership will allow the retailer to deliver to an additional 60,000 homes.

Read more: Alphabet’s Wing partners with Walmart for drone deliveries in Dallas

 2.    Grubhub launches Amazon Just Walk Out at Loyola Maryland

Grubhub Campus has announced that Amazon's Just Walk Out technology is now available at Loyola University Maryland, the first Grubhub-partnered campus to deploy the technology. With the technology, students simply scan a QR code in the Grubhub app to enter the store, take what they need and leave without having to wait in line as payment will automatically be deducted from their meal plan, declining account balance or other stored payment methods linked to their Grubhub account.

Read more: Grubhub Brings Amazon's Just Walk Out Technology to Campus Partners

3.    NKU debuts robotic food machines

Starting this fall students at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) can get food in two campus locations with the help of robotic food machines from Just Baked Smart Bistro and Farmer’s Fridge. Students can place an order by using the screen of the machines or order things in advance by using the Just Baked Bistro or Farmer’s Fridge mobile apps to choose food items such as a sausage biscuit sandwich or cinnamon roll from Just Baked Bistro or various salads, wraps and more from Farmer's Fridge, with the machines then making the food to order.

Related:5 things: Expanded Pitt dining facility to feature 10 independent concepts

Read more: New robotic food machines on-campus starting this fall

4.    Robots delivered 50K orders at University of Arizona last year

Robotic last mile delivery firm Cartken says its partnership with Grubhub and the University of Arizona produced more than 50,000 autonomous deliveries during the 2022-23 school year. The university’s more than 40,000 students can order from 12 on-site restaurants and campus dining facilities and receive their order autonomously at one of the 60 drop-off stations throughout the nearly 400 acre campus.

Read more: Cartken Robots Deliver More Than 50,000 Orders to Students at the University of Arizona

5.    Del Taco debuts 1,200-sq.ft. Fresh Flex drive-thru unit

Del Taco, the nation’s second-largest Mexican quick-service restaurant by number of units, has announced the debut of its 1,200-sq.ft. “Fresh Flex” Drive-Thru Only location in Albuquerque. In addition to the drive-thru lane, the new design features a walk-up window for ordering and pick-up as well as pick-up lockers for orders placed via the Del Taco mobile app and third-party delivery service providers, allowing guests and delivery drivers to skip the line.

Related:5 things: School districts buy hydroponic gardening towers to grow their own produce

Read more: Del Taco Opens First Drive-Thru Only Location Utilizing New Fresh Flex Store Design

Bonus: Maryville University raises the bar on salads

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]