Food and Beverage
Papa Johns and Google Cloud Reimagine the Future of Food Ordering to Better Serve Customers
Papa Johns is partnering with Google Cloud to roll out an AI-powered omnichannel ordering system using Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, bringing voice and text ordering to apps, web, phone, kiosks and in-car systems.
american pepperoni pizza with chilli pepper and parmesan cheese
Papa Johns and Google Cloud Reimagine the Future of Food Ordering to Better Serve Customers
Papa Johns is betting big on AI-powered convenience.
At NRF 2026 in New York, the pizza chain announced a major transformation of its digital ordering experience—aimed at delivering faster ordering, improved accuracy, and real-time personalization for its 150 million-plus customers worldwide. The update is powered by Google Cloud’s newly expanded AI solution, the Food Ordering agent, part of Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience.
The key takeaway: Papa Johns is the first restaurant brand to bring these new omnichannel ordering capabilities to market—moving beyond basic chatbots and into what Google Cloud calls the era of agentic commerce, where AI doesn’t just answer questions, it actively completes tasks and improves outcomes.
From chatbot to “agentic” ordering
Food Ordering agent is designed to unify voice and text ordering across the places customers already interact with the brand—without forcing them to repeat themselves or start over when they switch channels.
Instead of treating app ordering, phone ordering, kiosks, and in-car systems as separate experiences, the platform supports high-quality voice AI agents across:
- Mobile apps
- Websites
- Telephones
- Kiosks
- In-car systems
This is a notable shift from earlier AI deployments that focused heavily on drive-thru automation. Here, the goal is a single, consistent ordering experience where customers can order how they want, where they want, with less friction.
What Papa Johns is building with Google Cloud
Papa Johns says the new system is designed to make ordering “faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever before.” The company’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Kevin Vasconi, framed it as more than a product refresh.
“Papa Johns is a digitally-driven business and, as such, one of our strategic priorities is investing in our technology to deliver a more seamless experience across our assets and owned channels, better connect with our customers, and support greater efficiency across our operations by leveraging data and AI,” Vasconi said. “We’re using Google Cloud’s Food Ordering agent to reimagine what’s possible for our customers. This isn’t just an app update; it’s a fundamental shift in how our customers interact with our brand digitally, making it faster, smarter, and more seamless than ever before.”
The new capabilities focus on three areas that tend to create the most friction in food ordering: deals, complex orders, and repeat purchases.
Intelligent Deal Wizard: fewer abandoned carts, more confidence
One of the most common reasons customers abandon carts is uncertainty—Did I pick the best deal? Is there a better promo code? Papa Johns’ Intelligent Deal Wizard is positioned as a personal concierge that automatically applies the best value combinations.
The benefit is twofold:
- Customers spend less time hunting for discounts
- Papa Johns reduces cart abandonment and builds loyalty through instant value
In short: the system is designed to help customers feel like they’re getting the best price without extra steps.
Advanced Voice & Group Ordering: making complex orders easier
Group orders are where ordering systems often break down: multiple people, multiple changes, special instructions, and constant edits. Papa Johns’ Advanced Voice & Group Ordering is built to capture that revenue without requiring human intervention.
By handling natural language nuances and real-time modifications, the system aims to improve order accuracy even when the request is complicated—exactly the kind of scenario where mistakes can lead to refunds, remakes, and lost customers.
No-tap reordering for Papa Rewards customers
Pizza ordering is often habitual. Many customers reorder the same items, especially loyal customers. With the new experience, the agent can identify returning Papa Rewards members and proactively ask if they want to reorder their most recent purchase.
That no-tap flow matters because it shortens the distance between intent and checkout—turning a routine craving into a completed order in seconds.
Why it matters: omnichannel is now the expectation
Google Cloud’s Carrie Tharp, vice president of global solutions and industries, described the shift as a move beyond the chatbot era.
“The retail industry is entering the era of agentic commerce, where AI is an engine for business value,” Tharp said. “By being the first to deploy our omnichannel Food Ordering agent, Papa Johns is moving beyond the chatbot era to create a fluid, intelligent experience that meets hungry customers wherever they are, whether they are in their car, on an app, or at a kiosk.”
That’s the core point: customers don’t think in channels. They think in outcomes.
- Ordering hands-free while driving
- Reordering in one step from the couch
- Using a kiosk quickly while picking up
If the experience is inconsistent, slow, or confusing, customers bounce. If it’s fast and accurate, they come back.
What’s next
Papa Johns will showcase the technology at the Google Cloud booth 5507 at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in NYC, offering live demos to attendees. The company expects to roll out these capabilities to customers nationwide by the end of 2026.
About Papa Johns
Papa John’s International, Inc. (Nasdaq: PZZA) opened in 1984 with one goal: BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA. Papa Johns says it uses high-quality ingredients, including fresh, never frozen original dough made with six ingredients, real mozzarella cheese, and vine-ripened tomato sauce. The company operates more than 6,000 restaurants across approximately 50 countries and territories.
About Google Cloud
Google Cloud provides AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools, offering an integrated AI stack built on planet-scale infrastructure and custom-built chips. Organizations in more than 200 countries and territories use Google Cloud as a technology partner.
Resources
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Food and Beverage
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice Unveils “Island Fire,” a Sweet-Heat Secret Scoop Inspired by Hot Ones
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice is leaning hard into the sweet-meets-heat trend with a limited-time drop that sounds like it was built for adventurous taste buds (and social media reactions). The brand’s newest “Secret Scoop” mystery flavor, Island Fire Italian Ice, launched March 23, 2026 and blends tropical fruit flavors with a serious pepper-powered kick—an unexpected combo that Jeremiah’s is positioning as a celebratory finale to its anniversary run.
What is Island Fire?
According to the company, Island Fire starts with a bright, tropical base—passion fruit, guava, and orange—then finishes with lingering heat. The spice comes from Hawaiian Hot T’s POG2 hot sauce, a sauce the release notes has been featured on the popular YouTube interview series “Hot Ones.” The sauce brings a trio of peppers into the mix: habanero, scorpion, and ghost peppers.
In other words: it’s a frozen treat that aims to hit you with “vacation flavors” first, then surprise you on the back end.
How long is it available?
This is a true blink-and-you’ll-miss-it release. Jeremiah’s says Island Fire is available for one week only starting March 23, or while supplies last, at all Jeremiah’s Italian Ice locations nationwide.
Part of a bigger anniversary campaign
Island Fire also serves as the capstone to Jeremiah’s “30 Years of Ice” campaign, which has featured a different Italian ice flavor each week since the start of the year to celebrate the brand’s 30th anniversary.
“Jeremiah’s has spent the past 30 years creating fun, memorable flavors for our guests, so we wanted the finale of our anniversary celebration to be something truly unexpected,” CEO Michael Keller said in the announcement. “Island Fire captures that spirit perfectly.”
How to order it (and the best way to try it)
You can order Island Fire as a standalone Italian Ice, but Jeremiah’s is also nudging fans to try it layered with its Soft Ice Cream to create a Jelati—the brand’s signature combination.
If you’re on the fence about heat in dessert, the Jelati route may be the move: the creaminess can mellow the spice while still letting the fruit-forward flavors come through.
Find a location
To locate a shop near you, Jeremiah’s directs guests to its store locator here: https://jeremiahsice.com/.
About Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice was founded in 1996 and began franchising in 2019. The company says it now has 160+ locations across Florida, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, Nevada, Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas, and is continuing to expand across the Southern United States.
STM Daily News Food & Drink will keep an eye out for what brands do next as sweet-heat flavors keep crossing over from hot sauce culture into desserts and frozen treats.
Source: PR Newswire press release
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STM Daily News’ Food and Drink section highlights the stories, trends, flavors, and events shaping today’s food culture. From recipes to restaurant news, it keeps readers connected to what’s fresh and worth tasting.
Food and Beverage
Create Little Moments of Happiness This Spring with Family-Friendly Potato Recipes
As spring encourages outdoor activities, The Little Potato Company offers time-saving products, like pre-washed Little Potatoes and crispy snacks. Enjoy convenient family meals and enter their sweepstakes for a chance to win travel and grocery prizes.
Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Feature Impact) As the weather breaks and spring brings increased opportunities for families to get outside, activities, adventures and jam-packed calendars abound. All those special moments spent at the park, the sports field or in the backyard may leave lasting memories, but they can also leave you feeling short on time in the kitchen.
Bring a little moment of happiness to busy family mealtimes during the spring season with The Little Potato Company’s line of easy-to-prepare Little Potatoes. They come pre-washed, require no peeling and are small enough that they don’t need to be cut, allowing for less time in the kitchen and more family time around the table as the days get longer – no extra spring cleaning required. For an added helping of convenience, their Microwave Ready Little Potato Kits come with delicious seasoning packs; simply pop into the microwave, sprinkle on the included seasoning and enjoy.
For a fun after-school or game-night snack, these Crispy Air Fryer Potato Nuggets pair perfectly with a variety of delicious dips. The air fryer cooks the potatoes in minutes, creating a crispy snack with minimal prep – no chopping or peeling needed.
Or you can make a delicious side dish a cinch with pesto, which adds a bright, flavorful twist to a classic in these Basil Pesto Mashed Potatoes. They pair perfectly with everyday family meals using Little Potatoes that require no chopping or peeling thanks to their naturally thin skins, helping cut down on prep time while bringing fresh flavor to the dinner table.
To help fuel families’ spring vacation plans and everyday meals, The Little Potato Company is giving you a chance to enter a sweepstakes through May 25 to win a $10,000 travel voucher with additional prizes including 10 grocery gift cards valued at $1,000.
Enter the sweepstakes at TheLittleSpringtimeSweeptakes.com, and find more ways to make spring meals a breeze by visiting LittlePotatoes.com.
Crispy Air Fryer Potato Nuggets and Dip
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 24 minutes
Servings: 4
Potatoes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 pounds Little Potatoes
Chimichurri:
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 bunch parsley
- 3 limes, juice only
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 cup canola oil
- Heat air fryer to 390 F.
- To make potatoes: In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Whisk in milk until smooth.
- Place panko in a separate shallow bowl.
- Working in batches, coat potatoes in batter then toss in panko until fully coated.
- Place potatoes in the air fryer and cook 24 minutes, flipping halfway.
- To make chimichurri: In a blender, blend cilantro, parsley, lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, chili flakes and canola oil until smooth.
- Serve potato nuggets with chimichurri.
Basil Pesto Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
- 1 1/2 pounds Little Potatoes
- water
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning, to taste, divided
- 2 1/2 cups fresh basil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- In a food processor, place basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan. Add oil and pulse until mixed then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a small saucepot over low heat, heat milk and butter until butter is melted and milk is steaming.
- Once potatoes are cooked, strain and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
- Using a potato masher, smash potatoes with milk and butter mixture then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in pesto mixture.
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STM Daily News’ Food and Drink section highlights the stories, trends, flavors, and events shaping today’s food culture. From recipes to restaurant news, it keeps readers connected to what’s fresh and worth tasting.
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Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Enjoy a Lighter Soup On Cool Spring Days
(Family Features) Permanent heat may be on the way, but spring still offers plenty of chilly, rainy opportunities for a warmup from the inside-out. Serve a comforting bowl of Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup to keep spring chills away. Discover more seasonal recipes at Culinary.net.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 6 cups broth
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- cucumber sandwiches, for serving
- Chop carrots and celery. In pot, saute with butter.
- In bowl, mix chicken with lemon juice and lemon pepper then set aside.
- After carrots and celery are tender, add broth and orzo to pot. Then add garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and sugar. Simmer 10 minutes then add chicken and cream; simmer about 5 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with cucumber sandwiches.
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