Restaurant Dive’s Top Trends of 2019 showcase just how quickly technology has transformed operations across categories. McDonald’s and Sonic Drive-In are outfitting their off-premise menu boards with AI to personalize diner recommendations and trim labor, signaling a potential sea change for drive-thru design. Restaurants are also learning how to better interpret consumer data without giving too much control to third-party processors.

Delivery innovation was another major storyline last year, with Uber Eats and Grubhub launching celebrity-studded ghost kitchens to grow their virtual kitchen footprints. Many restaurants also grew disillusioned with third-party delivery platforms when independent operators accused Grubhub of hidden fees and buying domain names without permission.

And while the old threat of the worsening labor shortage and rising operating costs loomed, new obstacles like competitive convenience store offerings and a spotlight on the industry’s legacy of sexual harassment proved challenging.