At FSTEC 2026 a women-led panel argued that next-gen automation should run behind the scenes to fix operational pain points while preserving in-person guest touchpoints. Practical examples from Smoothie King and 7 Brew show what that balance looks like.
Design automation to handle repetitive operational work (end-of-day processes, reconciliations) so staff face fewer morning disruptions.
Use contextual triggers (e.g., loyalty recognition at entry) to surface relevant information to team members at the right time without removing the personal connection.
At the New Architects of Foodservice Technology session at FSTEC 2026, a women-led panel framed a simple design rule: automation should solve tasks, not erase the human moments where hospitality matters. The session, presented by the Women's Foodservice Forum, featured Smoothie King Chief Information Officer Jyoti Lynch, 7 Brew Chief Technology Officer Danyel Bischof-Forsyth, and WFF Chief Brand Officer Ellie Doty as moderator.
Panelists repeated a short directive quoted during the session: "Automate the task, not the moment." That means putting labor-saving automation behind the scenes so customers still receive the personal attention and warmth that define the guest experience. Lynch said stores should avoid automating the guest-facing encounter—drive-thru, in-store ordering, and other personal touchpoints—but should automate the processes that create friction for team members.
The panel also described automation that supports service without substituting for it. Lynch explained that systems can detect and flag loyalty members when they arrive so a team member is notified and can deliver a personalized welcome. That use of technology provides context to staff without removing the in-person exchange.
Practical implications for operators
Prioritize automation targets by operational pain and guest impact. Start with repeatable back-office failures and manual reconciliation tasks that stop service the next day. Those are measurable failures that automation can remove without changing guest interactions.
When you evaluate front-end technologies, ask two questions: will this remove a personal guest touchpoint, and does it make the team's job easier? If tech recognizes guests and surfaces relevant information to staff, it can improve personalization while preserving human contact. If it replaces the staff role in the touchpoint entirely, it risks degrading hospitality.
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