Brewing the Future of Retail Tech

Starbucks, McDonald’s, AI, and global tech strategy—all in one conversation. In this episode of TechBytes, host Rob Grimes sits down at the National Retail Federation’s NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show with Vikram Badhwar, Director of International Technology at Starbucks, to explore how major brands scale digital experiences across thousands of stores and dozens of countries. They dive into Starbucks digital solutions, lessons from McDonald’s just-in-time kitchens, mobile order & pay, computer vision in drive-thru, and where AI truly moves the needle. This episode offers a fast-paced, practical look at the future of restaurant and retail technology.