Culinary and Foodservice
Technology for restaurant and foodservice operators — ordering and point of sale, kitchen automation and robotics, back-of-house software, guest-facing AI, and menu and nutrition tools.
What this pillar covers
CEP backs technology companies that sell to restaurant and foodservice operators. Point of sale, digital ordering and kitchen display; back-of-house software for scheduling, inventory and labor; kitchen automation and cooking robotics; guest-facing AI for ordering and personalization; and the menu and nutrition data operators use as diners move toward protein- and fiber-forward choices. The National Restaurant Association projects US restaurant and foodservice sales of $1.55 trillion in 2026, and says operators are adding ordering, AI and data tools to manage costs and improve the guest experience. Prepared foods inside grocery stores sit at the edge of the pillar, where a foodservice meal enters the grocery basket.
Where we look
The kinds of companies and infrastructure CEP focuses on here include:
- Restaurant operating software: point of sale, digital ordering and kitchen display
- Back-of-house software for scheduling, inventory and labor
- Kitchen automation and cooking robotics
- Guest-facing AI for ordering, menu discovery and personalization
- Menu engineering and nutrition data as diners shift toward protein and fiber
- Off-premise and delivery channel tools built for independent and multi-unit operators
Operators adopt technology that helps each location run on fewer labor hours and serve guests with better information. A product proves itself in one kitchen, then rolls out across a restaurant group and into the ordering and point-of-sale systems operators already use.
Our other investment areas.
Shopping Experiences
Where shoppers find and buy — AI shopping assistants and agentic checkout, social and live commerce, virtual try-on and connected stores, and the commerce platforms, payments and loyalty that tie them together.
Read moreMerchandising and Store Operations
The operating layer of the store — where merchant judgment meets shelf execution: inventory and merchandising intelligence, autonomous checkout, smart shelves, in-store robotics and staff allocation.
Read moreSupply Chain and Fulfillment
Moving goods from supplier to shopper — warehouse robotics, last-mile delivery, AI planning and replenishment, store-based micro-fulfillment, cold chain, and returns and circular logistics.
Read moreRetail Media and Marketing
The monetization layer on retailer first-party data — AI-bought and agent-traded advertising, in-store and omni-store media, creator campaigns, and closed-loop measurement.
Read moreRetail Health Tech
The technology layer of retail health — pharmacy automation, script fulfillment, diagnostics, and the data infrastructure behind consumer health at retail.
Read more