Latest news with #DonatosPizza
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Donatos Pizza Testing Out Robot-Made Pizza At One Location
Here's the expert pizzamaker for Donatos Pizza at the Columbus (Ohio) International Airport: the ... More robot. At every one of the 175 Donatos Pizza locations, of which 124 are franchised and 51 are company-owned except one, it's human beings who prepare the pizza. But at its Concourse B location at the John Glenn Columbus (Ohio) International airport, it's a robot that kneads the pizza and serves as one of its pizzamakers. Kevin King, the president and CEO of Donatos Pizza, based in Columbus, Ohio, is emphatic that the pizza prepared by the robot tastes exactly the same as those made by hand by its pizza makers. 'There is no difference!' he states categorically. He admits it didn't do any consumer research to confirm that the taste is the same, but he and his staff tasted it repeatedly to ensure the taste's consistency. Even Robots Have Their Limitations The robot prepares each pizza in about 6 minutes compared to humans who can take 6 to 10 minutes, depending on their technique. But King says the robots are designed for high volume continuous output which humans can't sustain. Robots Making Pizza Can Help It Enter New Markets But King adds that 'this robot can make pizza 24 hours a day' and that enables Donatos to enter markets such as airports, shopping malls, hotel kitchens and in rural America where 'labor is difficult and hard to recruit.' The robots prepare their food in an autonomous kitchen, a separate area. But another goal is to eliminate employees having to do repetitive tasks, which wear people down and dampen their enthusiasm. 'Putting 100 pieces of pepperoni on a pizza is tedious,' he admits. Even Robots Have Their Limitations But here's the thing, even robots have their limitations. Indeed, the robot-making pizzamakers can only make cheese or pepperoni pizza, its two most popular styles, but not any of Donatos 28 unique toppings which includes more than 15 signature pizzas. But Donatos Pizza is also testing out robot versions 2 and 3, so it's hoping that the robot can be trained to make more customized pizza in the future as well as serve drinks. 'The goal is to expand and grow our brand; this is part of the growth,' he explains. King says it's testing out the concept at the Columbus Airport because 'there's lot of traffic; people work there 24 hours a day and there's always room for more pizza.' Robots May Increase Their Tasks in the Future Asked if the robots can prepare any of Donatos other items such as subs, wings, salads or calzones, King says it's looking forward to adding the others to the robot's capabilities but currently it's focused on producing those two kinds of pizza. King also says its kitchen design at Donatos will stay the same and that it's not planning on converting any of them into autonomous kitchens. He said training its human staff to work with the robot isn't complicated. 'The amount of training is minimal for our operators. The model is designed so all preventive maintenance and repairs is conducted by our trained technicians,' King states. He also states that no staff members at the locations were let go to be replaced by the robot. Asked how much the robot costs, King replies, it's likely several hundred thousand dollars, but the newer robot versions will be cheaper. Ultimately, of course, Donatos is driven by bottom-line results, which King explains, these robots improve. 'Adding sales with limited labor costs will enhance the profitability of our franchise partners/operators,' he says. But he adds that even the robots require human beings to 'restock, clean and support the restaurants,' so while labor costs are lower, employees are still necessary, not eliminated. Donatos Pizza expects to open 8 new locations this year and 10 to 15 the following year so steady growth is on the agenda. 'We believe that the fully autonomous kitchen gives us a big opportunity for growth, both domestically and world-wide,' King states.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Columbus to illuminate City Hall for Pride Month, honor local LGBTQ+ advocates
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus leaders are illuminating City Hall on Monday in celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, while honoring the first openly gay elected Columbus official and a same-sex marriage advocate who hails from the Ohio family behind Donatos Pizza. The illumination begins at about 8 p.m., when Columbus City Council and Mayor Andrew Ginther are presenting the Steven Shellabarger Illuminator Award to Mary Jo Hudson and Tom Grote. Named for activist Steve Shellabarger, the award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting LGBTQ+ rights to create a more inclusive city. Watch the City Hall illumination live in the video player above. Appointed to serve on city council in 2004, Hudson was the first openly gay public official in Columbus. She held the seat until 2007, when she was appointed by former Gov. Ted Strickland to serve as the director of the Ohio Department of Insurance. Hudson made history again as the first openly gay member of the Columbus City Schools Board of Education, where she served from 2014 to 2018. Columbus to review minority, LGBTQ+ business programs amid DEI crackdown She has served as a member of several other boards, including the Columbus Arts Council's board of directors and the national board of directors and board of governors for the Human Rights Campaign. Hudson is also a 2008 recipient of the YWCA Columbus' Women of Achievement Award. Grote grew up on Columbus' south side and got his start working for his family's business, Donatos Pizza. After working for Donatos for 20 years, he continued to work with the Grote family to expand the business and invest in and lead several tech startups in central Ohio. As part of his advocacy for same-sex marriage, Grote helped found Equality Ohio in 2005 and served as the organization's first board chairman. He has also served on numerous other boards of directors, including the Legacy Fund of the Columbus Foundation, the Short North Business Association and the Central Ohio Transit Authority. He was the first openly LGBTQ+ member of Miami University's board of trustees from 2010 to 2015 after being appointed by Strickland. Hudson and Grote worked alongside each other to launch the Stonewall Builds Capital Campaign in 2013, which led to the renovation and expansion of Stonewall Columbus' current North High Street building. Last year's winner was Stephen Snyder-Hill, an openly gay author, LGBTQ+ rights activist, and veteran who served under the U.S. Army's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, which barred gay, lesbian or bisexual people from military service. Two days after the policy was overturned, Snyder-Hill gained national attention when he came out of the closet during a Republican primary presidential debate in 2011. Columbus City Schools quietly dissolves its Equity Department Snyder-Hill was invited in 2015 to be the headlining speaker for a TEDx Talk at Ohio State University. Several years later, Snyder-Hill came out as one of the hundreds of students who were abused at the hands of doctor Richard Strauss, a former university physician who died in 2005. Snyder-Hill was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against OSU. Pride Month remembers the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, a series of conflicts between police and LGBTQ+ protesters that stretched over six days. Today, Pride commemorates the Stonewall protesters with parades, festivals, memorials and more. Stonewall Columbus kicked off its celebrations with the annual Pride Brunch at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on Sunday. Stonewall's Pride festival begins at 4 p.m. on June 13 at Goodale Park and runs until 10 p.m. with food, vendors, nonprofit organizations, community resources, and live entertainment. The celebration continues at 10:30 a.m. on June 14 with a march at Broad and High streets. While the city's first Pride march happened in 1981 with just 200 people, the Stonewall Columbus Pride parade welcomes more than 700,000 visitors annually. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Christina Vogel upsets Perry Wood to clinch Democratic nod for Erie County executive
Democrat Christina Vogel scored an upset victory on May 20 by defeating Perry Wood and clinching her party's nomination for Erie County executive. Vogel, 48, who was outraised by Wood's campaign by nearly $80,000, beat Wood by a 1,257-vote margin, according to vote totals released by the Erie County Elections and Voter Registration Office. As of 11:25 p.m. on May 20, Vogel received 13,353 votes over Wood's 12,096 votes, or 52.29% to 47.37%, of a total 25,537 votes, unofficial results showed, with all mail-in ballots and 100% of precincts reporting. Vogel, of Fairview, the owner of two Donatos Pizza locations and the first independent female franchisee in the company's history, will now face incumbent Republican Brenton Davis in the fall general election. Davis ran unopposed in the GOP primary, winning 94.16% of the vote with 12,667 total votes. "I never wanted to be a politician," Vogel told the Erie Times-News after her victory. "It was not something that I ever saw myself doing. But I believe in Erie County and I think that we need a change in the county executive's office. "I'm going to do what I did in the primary ― meet as many people as possible, meet them where they are, hear their challenges and determine what the county executive can do to fix that." Wood, 46, who serves as executive director of the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority, told the Erie Times-News the "people of Erie have spoken and now we need to unite behind Christina Vogel to change the course and future of Erie County government." Vogel's campaign during the primary appeared to face an uphill battle. Wood's campaign had raised $107,507 between Jan. 1 and May 5, compared to $27,846 raised by Vogel's campaign for the same reporting period. Wood had also been endorsed by County Council members Andre Horton, Chris Drexel and Rock Copeland, as well as former Erie County Executive Judy Lynch, former Erie Mayor Joyce Savocchio and Democratic state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro. Vogel was endorsed by former Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, who had selected Vogel as an inaugural board member of the Erie County Community College in 2020. Vogel attributed her win to county voters valuing sincerity. "The overwhelming amount of support has been because people gravitate toward someone who is approachable, someone that they believe has their interests at heart," she said. "I've had great conversations with voters all along the way and I think that they are frustrated and ready for something different." Replay: Coverage from the Erie County municipal primary on May 20 Vogel has said her three core campaign priorities are strengthening the economy, making the government more efficient and investing in the community. She has pledged to expand opportunities for small businesses and workers by cutting red tape and ensuring workforce training programs align with the needs of employers. Vogel has also said she will also prioritize infrastructure, public safety and education, and bring a 'data-driven, results-oriented' approach to county government. Vogel provided her own startup capital to build two Donatos Pizza locations in Erie's Frontier neighborhood and in Harborcreek. She said she's paid more than $4 million in wages since opening and has more than 30 employees. Vogel said she's also donated more than $96,000 from her businesses to community organizations, including travel basketball teams, church daycares, robotics clubs and dozens of others through her Pizza with a Purpose fundraising program, She's worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the Office of Management and Budget for Illinois; and Country Financial in Illinois. Vogel majored in business administration and minored in economics at Illinois Wesleyan University. She also has a master's in business administration and journalism from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Vogel lives with her husband of more than 20 years, Erik, and their three children who attend Fairview schools. A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@ Follow him on X @ETNRao. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Christina Vogel wins Democratic primary for Erie County executive
Bloomberg
20-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
DoorDash Ends AI Voice-Ordering Product for Restaurants
DoorDash Inc. ended a pilot of its voice-ordering product for restaurant clients, a year after it poached talent from an artificial intelligence startup to bolster the product. DoorDash's decision was revealed when a customer, the Donatos Pizza chain, said in a statement that it found a new vendor because the food delivery company was 'sunsetting' its automated ordering features. A DoorDash spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that the company stopped the pilot at the end of April.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What are top priorities for Erie County executive candidates ahead of the primary?
Economic development. Emergency medical services. Child care. Erie County's executive will face a number of issues in the next four years. And on May 20, voters will decide which two candidates should compete for the job in November to ultimately address them. One candidate is already locked in: Brenton Davis, 42, is the Republican incumbent and running unopposed for a second term. On the Democratic side, Donatos Pizza franchisee Christina Vogel, 48, will compete against Perry Wood, 46, the executive director of the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority. The Erie Times-News posed the following questions to all three candidates. Their answers were edited for length and clarity. Davis: My administration has a proven track record of delivering results. I took office at the height of COVID and immediately reopened our economy, trusting residents to make their own health choices. We partnered with local health systems to stand up emergency clinics and not a single life was lost under our watch. Since then, we've faced windstorms, floods, 38 wildfires, historic snowstorms and a measles outbreak ― and no lives were lost in any of these disasters. That's the result of pre-planned responses, trained volunteers, community partnerships and even inmate work crews stepping up to help. My background ― 23 years in military leadership, nearly two decades as a private business owner and a master's in economic development and an undergraduate in psychology — has prepared me to lead in times of crisis. Plus, my established ties with the White House, the governor's, U.S. and state Senate and House offices along with national appointed leadership positions give Erie County leverage that neither of my opponents can match. Please enable Javascript to view this content. Vogel: I have managed budgets that are millions of dollars. That means earning every dollar that comes into my business and dealing with the real-world consequences if there is a shortfall. In my business, which I created from nothing, I have had to make tough choices. I know I can find efficiencies and savings in the county budget because I've already done it in my own business after COVID and on a much larger scale in Illinois in the Office of Management and Budget, which is billions of dollars. When you're facing the kind of fiscal cliff that we are in, you want someone who has managed large budgets, who has had to make payroll when things are tough and who respects their employees. The simple truth is I am the only candidate who has created actual jobs. My MBA and my direct experience at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Office of Management and Budget for the State of Illinois and in my businesses make me uniquely qualified to dig deep into the budget, rein in spending and ensure every single dollar is impactful and spent legally and to improve Erie County for all residents. Additionally, I put in an untold number of hours with the rest of the inaugural board of trustees to create the Erie County Community College. It is this real experience as a business owner and community college inaugural board member and community advocate that allows me to bring a perspective to the office that no one else can. Wood: I believe I'm the most viable candidate for county executive because I bring both the experience to govern effectively and the relationships to win across party lines. I've spent my career working with Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike to deliver real results for Erie County. This includes building the Keystone Innovation Zone, helping launch the Erie County Community College and overseeing over $88 million in investments through the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority. These weren't solo projects, they were partnerships with local governments, businesses and community leaders. That's what sets me apart. I already have strong working relationships with local elected officials, County Council and other regional leaders. Where the current administration has burned bridges, I've prioritized building them. That collaborative spirit is essential, not just for winning elections, but for governing effectively. I also bring deep knowledge of the county's economic development system. I've led efforts to make it more accountable and transparent, replacing dysfunction with trust and stability. Erie County residents deserve a county government that works and I've proven I can deliver that. In contrast, the incumbent's administration has been marked by lawsuits, infighting and a top-down leadership style that has alienated even members of his own party. Erie County doesn't need more chaos, it needs a unifier, a coach, someone who listens, collaborates and follows through. Direct primaries didn't always exist: The first was held in Crawford County in 1842. Davis: When I took office, Erie County didn't even track 911 data, let alone recognize the severity of our EMS crisis. In 2022, we had 1,267 dropped EMS calls, an 18% drop rate. Today, that rate is below 2%, and response times have improved dramatically. We've invested millions in EMS scholarships, adding 80-plus EMTs and paramedics to our workforce and regionalized providers for faster, more cost-effective service. But the crisis isn't over: 40% of Erie County still lacks reliable ambulance coverage. That's why I've proposed $2.5 million in county gaming revenue for the 2025 budget: To save lives, strengthen public safety and lower taxes. We must invest in infrastructure to attract the opportunities which pass Erie County by each week. We now have large shovel-ready sites with the business park investment. However, most companies want to be in operation within six months of signing. We must have infrastructure in the ground to support industry, have a nimble workforce development pipeline being built at the Community College and clear span structures capable of being modified quickly to allow a company to purchase/lease and build to suit their needs in a short time frame. No zoning hurdles, no waiting on government and inspection delays -- truly moving at the speed of business. My administration will continue to identify pathways to keep our taxes low and look for alternatives to property taxes. I firmly believe no one should work their whole life, pay for a home and never truly own it. We need to look at property tax levies similar to Ohio which allow for tax abatement for our senior citizens. This is something which my administration is currently researching the possibilities under PA law to do similar in Erie County. Vogel: The most important issue is the budget. This is essential for several key reasons. First, we cannot afford another tax increase and since so much of the county revenue comes from the state and federal government, we must ensure we are efficient and smart with your tax dollars to survive the pressure being put on federal dollars. I plan to explore zero based budgeting to better manage spending. I will also look for efficiencies and eliminate duplication of services. Second, county government is about people. We don't pave streets we take care of people and I want to get back to supporting essential social services. The Office of Children and Youth, the Health Department and Library Services are all critically important. Again, the funds for these programs are in jeopardy and we must not let them be negatively impacted. By finding savings elsewhere, we will be in a stronger position to shore up these and other critical services. Finally, I will make transparency, open communication and accountability a priority. The infighting, the lawsuits, the settlements ― all of this takes away from the purpose of the Erie County executive and wastes precious time and money. Wood: If elected, I will prioritize three key areas: Expanding access to childcare, supporting small businesses and restoring real economic development across Erie County. First, childcare. This is one of the biggest barriers to workforce participation and we're tackling it head-on. In my current role with ECGRA, I've helped launch an initiative to create 2,500 high-quality childcare slots across the county to build new daycare centers, renovate existing ones and help providers expand capacity. This isn't just good for families, it's essential for our economy. Second, I'll focus on supporting new and existing businesses. Erie County is full of potential, but bureaucracy and a lack of coordination hold too many people back. I've worked with small businesses for years through the NWPA Technology Council and ECGRA and I'll keep doing it by strengthening our small business ecosystem and with a goal to launch 500 new startups across the county. Third, I'll bring back a serious, coordinated economic development strategy. Through initiatives like Mission Main Street and Empower Erie, we've shown that when we align government, business, and community partners, we can create real opportunity. On day one, I'll rejoin Infinite Erie and make sure the county government is no longer operating in isolation. That means working with public and private stakeholders to drive investment, cutting red tape and deliver the results our county deserves. A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@ Follow him on X @ETNRao. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County executive: Davis runs for reelection, two Dems compete
