9 restaurant tech innovations to watch for

This special edition of Tech Tracker looks at game changing startups and new innovations spotted at the NRA show.

I walked more than 35,000 steps over three days at the 100th annual National Restaurant Association show in Chicago in search of practical but cutting-edge innovations that could benefit restaurants.

The trade show was bursting at the seams with startups and convention rookies looking to dazzle operators with everything from voice activated robots to tablet-free tableside payment solutions.

My favorite tech solutions, however, were disruptors of the disruptors like Synk Delivery, a delivery solution aimed at saving restaurants from margin-hurting third-party delivery fees. I was also impressed with Locl, a Portland-based company working with Google Maps to enhance a restaurant’s increasingly important Google listing. 

Here’s a look at these and seven other companies developing new tech tools for restaurants.