From software that automatically professionalizes menu item photos to tools that capture the emerging trend of agentic ordering, artificial intelligence offers real-world solutions for restaurant operators.
Emerging technology not only opens doors for restaurants to appeal to consumers but also enables brands to connect with today’s increasingly digital consumer base in transformative new ways. That was the sentiment expressed by Brian Tolkin, head of merchant product at DoorDash, and Garrett Nicholson, who leads global food ordering partnerships on Google’s Search and Gemini Partnerships team, during a session moderated by The Coca-Cola Company’s Angela Diffly at the Food On Demand Conference May 6 in Dallas.
Tolkin and Nicholson agreed that consumers rely heavily on photos and videos to guide their online ordering and reservation decisions. DoorDash and Google, they said, use AI to help restaurants capitalize on that trend without the pricey and time-consuming efforts previously required to target customers effectively.
In early May, DoorDash launched AI-powered photo editing tools through its Merchant Portal, allowing operators to remove clutter from images, place items on plates or in appropriate packaging regardless of the original pictures, adjust lighting, and match the style of other photos.
“The technology advancements are really enabling us to understand what’s in these photos and videos, making it easier to create and professionalize and then deliver that great customer experience,” Tolkin said, referring to DoorDash’s new AI-powered tools as “basically, an editing suite.”
Brian Tolkin, head of merchant product at DoorDash, said AI tools allow restaurant operators to professionalize photos and videos to better represent their brands and draw in customers during the “Meeting Consumers in the Moment: AI, Discovery, and the Future of Ordering” session May 6 at the Food On Demand Conference in Dallas.
Nicholson echoed the sentiment that visual content, such as photos and videos, is a powerful driver for restaurant customers. He said 34 percent of users look at certain menus solely because they feature photos, 43 percent of users decide on restaurants directly after reviewing digital menus and 22 percent of users purchase menu items specifically because of how they appear in feature photos.
“It is key to drive discovery on Google,” Nicholson said of restaurant brands’ digital presence. “We’re working closely with brands, restaurants, partners as well, to surface content in a really compelling way, whether that’s photos, structured data or allergen information even. So, the goal is to create these really consumer-friendly experiences for hungry customers.”
Even beyond menu item photos, Nicholson said Google uses social media content, among other online information, to help customers learn more about restaurants, such as whether an eatery is family-friendly or has outdoor dining areas.
“It democratizes how a restaurant can show up. If you have something special meaning about your environment, then you might have an edge,” Diffly said. … “You could really show up in a way with visuals and share those viral organic consumer moments that tie to the brand.”
AI doesn’t just help consumers learn more about restaurants, according to Tolkin, but also benefits operators. He highlighted the power of enhanced visibility into customer behavior and preferences, courtesy of greater data accessibility.
“Data without insights isn’t actually that relevant,” Tolkin said. “For us, that starts with the basics of understanding the customer on the platform: who’s trying to teach a restaurant, who’s ordering for a restaurant where they live, (and) what they like. We have a powerful suite of tools on our restaurant portal that anyone on the platform can log in and see their orders to receive physically, where those people were ordering from, what the most popular items were, and make edits or adjustments.”
For Google, engagement insights help operators understand how users discover their business and ultimately take action, whether that be in-store visits or online commerce. Nicholson said personal intelligence is transforming the user journey across the company’s offerings, from discovery through search to agentic reservation capabilities.
“We feel that personal intelligence is really transforming the way search works by connecting the dots across different Google apps,” Nicholson said. “So today, you can securely opt in to connect your Gmail or photos, which are really important signals to help enhance the search experience.”
On DoorDash, AI-fueled personalization lets users see different homepages and discovery experiences.
Garrett Nicholson, who leads global food ordering partnerships on Google’s Search and Gemini Partnerships team, discusses the enhancements to restaurant discovery provided by AI tools during the “Meeting Consumers in the Moment: AI, Discovery, and the Future of Ordering” session May 6 at the Food On Demand Conference in Dallas.
“There’s no reason on DoorDash, for example, that I should have the exact same home page or representation as you because we’re different and our order boundaries are different,” Tolkin said. “Now with AI, you can really make that true.”
Tolkin expected AI to continue transforming how consumers and restaurant brands interact, especially in the areas of personalization and visual content.
Nicholson said he anticipated a future of next-level personalization, where AI tools can adjust in real time to streamline ordering experiences seamlessly.
“(We are) really focused on moving beyond personalization to almost more anticipating what is actually happening in the real world,” Nicholson said. “So I often think about Friday afternoon, driving home from work, maybe pizza nights on my calendar with family or friends — you have (GPS) directions going in the car and traffic happens. Do I take my normal route home or a different path? And if so, does that change (anything), like picking up the order now, or maybe it actually makes sense to delivery options as well?”
As technology continues to advance, one thing appears evident: AI will only continue to simplify operators’ missions to meet consumers in ways that are convenient and appealing.
