Papa John’s partners with Alphabet’s Wing to test drone delivery

Tom Sacco, CEO, president. chief "happiness" officer at Happy Joe's Pizza says the brand is a "business enterprise" but states the "calling is so much more" for the communities they serve. (Fox News Digital / Olivia Palombo)

Papa John’sis teaming with Alphabet-owned drone company Wing to test autonomous food delivery in North Carolina. marking a new push by major restaurant chains into AI-powered logistics.

The pilot. launching in the Charlotte area, will allow customers near Sun Valley Commons in Indian Trail to order select Papa John’s menu items through the Wing app fordrone delivery. The initial offering will focus primarily on oven-toasted sandwiches.

Executives say the partnership is aimed at addressing the costly "last mile" of delivery, a longstanding challenge for restaurants that rely heavily on drivers. third-party platforms.

The pilot program is taking off in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area.(Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

FROZEN PIZZA SOLD AT WALMART, ALDI RECALLED OVER SALMONELLA CONCERNS

The drone delivery service will primarily focus on sandwiches.(Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The effort is Wing’s first direct partnership with a national restaurant brand. builds on Papa John’s broader relationship with Google Cloud. Papa John’s is looking to eventually integrate drone delivery into its own app andAI-powered ordering system, known as "Lou AI."

Papa John's is partnering with Alphabet-owned Wing.(Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The companies are also working through logistics challenges, including packaging. load design, as they explore how to safely transport hot food by air – a sign the technology remains in its early stages.

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While the pilot is limited in scope, it reflects growing interest across the restaurant. tech industries in automating delivery to cut costs and speed up service.

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