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Why next-gen restaurant tech should automate the task, not the moment. Female restaurant technology leaders from 7 Brew and Smoothie King on how they are using AI to remove frictions while protecting hospitality. September 28, 2026 Technology leaders at FSTEC consistently emphasized a key principle: automation should ideally run seamlessly in the background, removing friction without distracting from the hospitality experience. "Automate the task, not the moment," said Smoothie King Chief Information Officer Jyoti Lynch during the New Architects of Foodservice Technology closing session of the 2026 FSTEC conference in Dallas, Texas. This women-led session was presented by the Women's Foodservice Forum, and also featured 7 Brew Chief Technology Officer Danyel Bischof-Forsyth, as well as WFF Chief Brand Officer Ellie Doty as moderator. Technology leaders at FSTEC consistently emphasized a key principle: automation should ideally run seamlessly in the background, removing friction without distracting from the hospitality experience. This balance between technology and hospitality was a major theme in this session. "People can show up in the digital channels, the drive-thru or the store, and you don't want to automate any of that because those are your personal touchpoints with guests," Lynch said. "But everything behind that to make their jobs easier is where automation comes in." Lynch gave the example of a typical challenge a franchisee might face: If the point-of-sale system's end-of-day process doesn't complete overnight, stores can't process sales the next morning - creating immediate chaos when team members arrive. Smoothie King has worked on automating this process to run in the background while the store is closed overnight, so baristas walk into a fully functional system when the store opens the next day. Some automation does take place closer to the customer interaction, but Lynch emphasized that it won't take away from the hospitality experience. "If [our system] can recognize loyalty members the moment they walk through the door, then it can let the team member know," she said. "We want to leverage technology to make their lives easier." 7 Brew also considers the balance of customer engagement when investing in new technology. The rapidly growing drive-thru coffee chain recently launched its first app, and Bischof-Forsyth emphasized how crucial it was that the app was additive to the friendly service 7 Brew is known for. "The app gives you time in your own home or car to navigate the surprises and offers before you even get there," she said. "It's all about allowing you to do some things even before you get there to allow more time to engage with our baristas." The investment in new technology like mobile ordering or kiosks has added an additional opportunity for connection between customers and employees: Technology troubleshooting. "We trained all of our baristas on the app so that they could be familiar and assist customers when they came through," Bischof-Forsyth said. Primarily, though, her team's focus is on automating back of house tasks, which would be completely invisible to the guest. "There's a lot we can automate, and where we see great business value is bookkeeping and inventory predictions," Bischof-Forsyth said. "It is not going to replace the interaction. That's non-negotiable." Senior Editor Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino's, and Papa John's. Joanna holds a bachelor's degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master's degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa's Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna's work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues. Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa's MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. Joanna Fantozzi's experience: Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present) Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021) Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019) Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018) Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018) News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017) Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013) Subscribe Nation's Restaurant News Newsletters

SMOOTHIE KING is starting National Coffee Day early with free delicious protein-packed coffee smoothies. Sep 25, 2026, 14:39 ET Your coffee run, upgraded: Healthy Rewards members can sip for free on September 28 and 29. DALLAS, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - There will be no shortage of coffee freebies this National Coffee Day, but Smoothie King is bringing something different to the celebration: a coffee run, upgraded. Starting the festivities a day early, Smoothie King is giving Healthy Rewards members a free 12 oz. Coffee High Protein Almond Mocha Smoothie on September 28 and 29 at participating Smoothie King locations nationwide. Made with cold brew crafted from 100% Arabica beans, the delicious and nutritious Coffee High Protein Almond Mocha Smoothie delivers 14g of protein, 3g of fiber, and 0g of added sugar. Protein coffee may be having a major moment, but it's nothing new at Smoothie King. With more than 50 years of expertise developing smoothies that balance nutrients and flavor, protein has long been core to the brand, including its lineup of Coffee High Protein Smoothies. The one-time offer is available exclusively to Smoothie King Healthy Rewards members on September 28 and 29. For more information, visit smoothieking.com. ABOUT SMOOTHIE KING FRANCHISES, INC. Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the original U.S. smoothie franchise, is a privately held, Dallas-based company with more than 1,200 units nationwide. It was founded in 1973 with the mission to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Today, with over 50 years focused on making nutrition delicious and guided by a vision to make the world a better place by nourishing healthy habits, Smoothie King continues to design each smoothie from the ground up, working with their nutritional experts to balance nutrients and flavor. In April 2023, Smoothie King expanded beyond smoothies with the launch of Smoothie Bowls. In 2025, the brand introduced its Power Eats Menu, its first nationwide rollout of food items, which earned Nation's Restaurant News' MenuMasters Healthful Innovation award in 2026. Smoothie King also offers retail products that include sports beverages, energy bars, vitamins, supplements, and more. Repeatedly recognized as a top franchise opportunity, Smoothie King was recently ranked #17 in Entrepreneur Magazine's highly competitive "Franchise 500" ranking for 2026, as well as #11 in Entrepreneur's 2025 Top Brands for Multi-Unit Owners and #11 in its 2025 Top Franchises for Veterans feature. Smoothie King was also included in the 2025 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list, Technomic's Top 500 Chains and Franchise Times 2025 Top 400. SOURCE Smoothie King

Smoothie King adds glp-1-friendly Pumpkin Smoothie. Aug 18 2026 The fall pumpkin lineup is available for a limited time at participating Smoothie King locations nationwide and through the Smoothie King app. Smoothie King, guided by its vision to make the world a better place by nourishing healthy habits, is introducing its nutrition-forward pumpkin lineup including the Slim-N-Trim GLP-1 Pumpkin Smoothie: the first-ever pumpkin smoothie specifically designed for guests taking GLP-1 medications or anyone seeking a more balanced way to enjoy a delicious and nutritious seasonal favorite. Available for a limited time at participating Smoothie King locations nationwide, the new Slim-N-Trim GLP-1 Pumpkin Smoothie is made with 100% organic pumpkin puree and Smoothie King's pumpkin spice blend, delivering more than 23 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber and 0 grams of added sugar. The smoothie joins the brand's GLP-1 Support Menu, which launched in 2024 marking the first of its kind from a national QSR brand. As more consumers incorporate GLP-1 medications into their wellness routines, their nutritional priorities continue to evolve. Research shows these guests are increasingly looking for familiar foods with higher protein, more fiber and less added sugar, without sacrificing the flavors they love. The Slim-N-Trim GLP-1 Pumpkin Smoothie was thoughtfully developed to meet those needs, combining the nostalgic taste of fall with the balanced nutrition today's guests are seeking. "For more than 50 years, Smoothie King nutritional experts have developed smoothies that thoughtfully balance nutrition with delicious taste crafted to support a range of healthy habits. As more guests began navigating GLP-1 medications and looking for trusted nutrition guidance, we saw an opportunity to apply that expertise to meet an emerging need when we first introduced the first GLP-1 Support Menu in QSR in 2024," said Lori Primavera, Vice President of R&D and Product Marketing at Smoothie King. "Now with the Slim-N-Trim GLP-1 Pumpkin Smoothie, we're continuing to lead the category by proving that seasonal favorites can be both delicious and thoughtfully developed to support today's wellness goals." Beyond its seasonal appeal, pumpkin itself offers meaningful nutritional benefits, including,100% Organic Pumpkin, 9g of fiber, nutrient dense and meal replacement, as well as being a good source of fiber and high protein, making it a natural addition to Smoothie King's fall lineup. Like every Smoothie King smoothie, the Slim-N-Trim GLP-1 Pumpkin Smoothie was developed with care. With more than 50 years of nutrition expertise, Smoothie King approaches innovation differently, working with in-house nutritional experts to thoughtfully balance nutrients and flavor, creating menu items that are as delicious as they are nutritious. The complete 2026 Pumpkin lineup includes: * Slim-N-Trim GLP-1 Pumpkin Smoothie - 23g+ protein, 0g added sugar, GLP-1 friendly * Power Meal Pumpkin - 20+g protein, meal replacement * Coffee High Protein Pumpkin - 31+g protein, 83mg caffeine * Slim-N-Trim Pumpkin - 13+g protein, 0g added sugar * D-Lite Pumpkin - 12+g protein * Vegan Pumpkin - Plant based, 12+g protein, good source of Vitamin C Starting August 18 through the end of September, guests can enjoy even more seasonal value by joining Smoothie King's Healthy Rewards where members can add a toast or flatbread to any 20 oz. pumpkin smoothie for just $3.99. And on August 27, Healthy Rewards members can also stop by participating locations for a free Pumpkin D-Lite Smoothie sampling event while supplies last. The fall pumpkin lineup is available for a limited time at participating Smoothie King locations nationwide and through the Smoothie King app.