If you’ve walked into a grocery store lately, you’ve probably noticed it doesn’t just look like a grocery store anymore. There’s a coffee bar by the entrance, maybe a sushi counter in the back, and customers sitting down to eat meals they didn’t have to cook — or even leave the store to get.
On the flip side, restaurants are acting more like retailers — selling branded sauces, meal kits and even merchandise right alongside the menu.
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What’s happening here isn’t just a trend. It’s a transformation.
The worlds of foodservice and retail are colliding in the best possible way, all thanks to technology and a consumer who expects everything to be connected. Whether you’re checking out at a self-service kiosk or reordering your favorite lunch through an app, the experience now crosses channels.
People don’t think about where they’re engaging. They just know what they want, and they expect it to be seamless.
From my seat at the IFBTA, I see a lot of opportunity in this crossover. Retail is learning from foodservice about hospitality and speed. Foodservice is learning from retail about scale and data. And technology — things like unified commerce platforms, AI-driven recommendations and loyalty ecosystems — is making it all possible.
The same tech that manages inventory in a restaurant kitchen can now track what’s selling off a grocery shelf. That’s a game-changer.
At NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show, attendees will see the convergence of foodservice and retail in action. The Foodservice Innovation Zone will showcase emerging technologies through innovative activations and thought-provoking educational sessions. An interactive go-kart track will give attendees the opportunity to experience multiple points of service and ordering inside the Javits Center.
At the end of the day, it’s all about creating connected experiences. Whether it’s a quick-service restaurant inside a convenience store or a grocer launching a full-service café, the lines are blurring — and that’s a good thing. It means we’re thinking more holistically about how, when and where to serve our guests.
The future of food and retail isn’t about choosing a lane — it’s about sharing the road. And as technology continues to evolve, those who collaborate across the aisle will be the ones driving the most exciting innovations ahead.
Robert Grimes is CEO of the International Food and Beverage Technology Association.
