Travelers passing through John Glenn Columbus International Airport can now witness the future of fast food.
This week, Donatos Pizza, in partnership with robotic restaurant technology specialist Appetronix, unveiled a first-of-its-kind, fully-autonomous pizza kitchen, redefining the quick-service restaurant experience. (See video below.)
The new robotic restaurant, located at Concourse B, combines cutting-edge AI and robotics with Donatos’ celebrated art of pizza making.
The system is designed to operate 24/7, offering travelers hot, fresh, made-to-order pizza with unprecedented efficiency and consistency. Customers can place their orders and watch as the automated kitchen portions ingredients, cooks, and plates their pizzas in real time.
The collaboration is the result of a multi-year effort to innovate within the food industry.
Nipun Sharma, co-founder and CEO of Appetronix, says: “We’ve been on this journey for about four, four and a half years and our mission was to create a fully autonomous restaurant that cooks the best tasting, made-to-order meals.”
The choice of Columbus for the inaugural location is a significant nod to Donatos’ heritage.
Sharma says: “We are truly honored that Donatos trusted us with this partnership to create something for the iconic brand which we strongly believe is the best pizza brand in the world. And we’re thrilled to create something iconic in the hometown where the Donatos company was founded in 1963.”
He assured longtime fans of the brand’s quality. “I can assure you that this is the Donatos Pizza that you’ve loved for 60 years and it’s going to be the same quality.”
Kevin King, president and CEO of Donatos Pizza, emphasized that the project aligns perfectly with the company’s core values. “We’re so excited about innovation and continue to bring innovation to Donatos and everything that we do,” he says.
“This aligns perfectly with four key pillars: It’s about our people, it’s about innovation, it’s about our brand, and it’s about growth. This particular fully autonomous kitchen ties right into both innovation and growth. We’re so excited about the opportunity and where this innovation will take us over the next several years.”
The airport location, operated by restaurateur HMS Host, serves as a model for future growth. The technology is poised to bring high-quality food service to locations where traditional kitchens are not feasible, such as other airports, hospitals, college campuses, and industrial environments.
Sharma called the launch a pivotal moment for the industry. “Bringing this first-of-its-kind autonomous kitchen to life in collaboration with Donatos has been an extraordinary journey and marks a defining moment for the future of the restaurant industry.”
“With our state-of-the-art, AI-powered robotic technology, we’re delivering hot, fresh pizza with unprecedented precision and efficiency. This is more than innovation – it’s a transformative leap for the QSR space, setting a new standard for consistency, speed, and customer satisfaction.”
