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Donatos Pizza To Open Fully Autonomous Restaurant in Partnership with Appetronix

By: Donatos Pizza |  1 Shares     29 Reads

Pizza Franchise Launches Robot-Operated Restaurant Model in the Columbus Airport, Ushering in the Future of the Pizza Industry

May 27, 2025 // Franchising.com // Columbus, OH – Donatos Pizza, the premium pizza company famous for its abundant Edge to Edge® toppings, is opening its first fully autonomous pizza restaurant in June. Donatos and its sister company Agápe Automation partnered with Appetronix to bring the robot operated restaurant to life. The new fully automated restaurant will debut before security in front of Concourse B at the John Glenn Columbus International Airport and will be operated by restaurateur HMS Host. The new autonomous kitchen will deliver a fast and delicious made-to-order pizza for travelers.

“We’re not just adding tech to a restaurant; we’re jumping in with a fully autonomous restaurant. But, most importantly, we’re going to continue to serve great tasting abundantly topped pizzas and provide a top-notch customer experience that Donatos has always been known for,” said Kevin King, President and CEO of Donatos Pizza. “In a busy airport environment, where customers are most focused on catching their flights, we think the vending machine style location will be a huge success.”

The autonomous restaurant will operate 24/7, leveraging state-of-the-art robotics and data science technologies — enabling an efficient experience for customers on everything from placing orders to receiving their pizza. The robot also offers an engaging visual experience, allowing customers an inside look at their pizzas being freshly prepared in real time.

“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,” said Nipun Sharma, Co-Founder & CEO of Appetronix. “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.”

“Donatos’ new fully autonomous restaurant is an exciting addition to John Glenn International, showcasing their commitment to innovation and our shared focus on enhancing the passenger experience,” said Joseph R. Nardone, President & CEO of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority that operates John Glenn International. “This cutting-edge technology will provide travelers with a quick and convenient taste of a beloved local favorite.”

This partnership further strengthens Donatos Pizza’s mission to promote goodwill through its products, service, principles, and people. And promotes Kevin King’s recent four point strategy, which focuses on creating new, innovative ideas that will disrupt the pizza scene.  

“I’m incredibly proud of the innovation my dad, Jim Grote, has championed over the past 62 years,” said Jane Grote Abell, Executive Chairwoman of Donatos Pizza. “It’s in his DNA to constantly seek better ways to deliver the same consistent, high-quality pizza we’ve always served. At Donatos, we believe people are at the heart of innovation—and this fully automated location allows our guests to enjoy Donatos on the run, without sacrificing the experience. More innovation, more passion, and more opportunities to eat great pizza—that’s what this is all about.”

“We work every day to make travelers happier, and we think we’ve delivered on that promise by expanding the pre-security food & beverage amenities and introducing a dining option that will offer travelers and visitors to the airport a high-quality, fast and filling meal 24/7. It’s a wonderful way to enhance our existing restaurant operations,” said HMSHost Vice President of Business Development Tosin Kasali. “We’re happy to be the concessions operator chosen to bring this technology to John Glenn International.”

This groundbreaking collaboration will redefine the pizza experience by combining cutting-edge technology with the art of crafting delicious pizzas. With a strong commitment to innovation, Donatos Pizza is leveraging advanced robotics to streamline the pizza-making process, ensuring precision, consistency, and faster service while maintaining the premium quality customers love.

Donatos continues to embrace new technologies that offer scalable solutions and redefine how and where high-quality food is served. This restaurant will pave the way for more locations to deliver exceptional quality with greater accuracy and speed. This technology has the potential to transform food service in airports, hospitals, college campuses, and industrial environments—anywhere a traditional kitchen may not be feasible.

For more information about Donatos Pizza, please visit www.donatos.com. 

About Donatos Pizza

Donatos Pizza, founded by Jim Grote in 1963 in Columbus, Ohio, is a family-owned business known for its famous thin-crust pizzas with abundant toppings spread Edge to Edge®. Headquartered in Columbus, Donatos and its franchise partners operate over 175 stores. Additionally, Donatos Pizza is proudly served in nearly 300 non-traditional locations nationwide, including select Red Robin restaurants. Committed to quality, community, and customer satisfaction, Donatos Pizza has received numerous awards and accolades, reflecting its dedication to excellence and innovation. For more information about Donatos Pizza and franchising opportunities, visit www.donatosfranchise.com.

About Appetronix Inc.

Appetronix Inc. (formerly SJW Robotics) is a foodtech company specializing in the development and design of autonomous robotic solutions for commercial restaurant kitchens. With an expert team with extensive experience in restaurant kitchen design, worldwide expansion of restaurant chains, advanced automation, robotics, and data science, Appetronix is at the forefront of innovation in the foodservice industry. Our mission is to revolutionize the way restaurants operate by leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver custom solutions that are scalable and tailored to meet the requirements of the next generation of quick-service restaurants. Our autonomous robotic solutions holistically automate all back of house functions including portioning, cooking, plating, and even cleaning with a singular goal of providing the best tasting food.

SOURCE Donatos Pizza

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