Fintech in the food industry

Supermarkets and restaurants were already starting to go digital when the pandemic pushed hard on the gas. Expect more mobile and virtual experiences —and much less space for sit-down dining.

Walmart's fintech venture with Ribbit Capital allows it to influence more technological developments in the retail industry.

Demand for food delivery has been strong during the pandemic, building on what already had been a strong demand for the $27 billion industry, according to NPD Group.

Burger King envisions a future in which the only thing its patrons will touch is their actual food, a redesign acknowledging 2020’s emergency workarounds have permanently shifted how people engage businesses and gained habits that go beyond their fear of spreading germs.

For the dozens of technology companies trying to enable shopping without point of sale terminals, making it work in a full-sized store is the path to disruption. But the coronavirus pandemic flipped the script, bringing disruption well before the technology was ready.

Walmart’s membership service undercuts Amazon Prime on price and offers myriad perks, including access to streamlined checkout and deliveries — two areas where Walmart has struggled in the past.

For Starbucks, the pandemic’s emergency workarounds are also a proving ground for a retail concept that could change the way people visit quick-serve restaurants.

The coronavirus shutdowns have tossed businesses into disarray in numerous ways, most notably the tricky transactions that come with operating a restaurant as a drive-through for the first time.