California Pizza Kitchen to Deploy 1,000 Automated Kiosks Nationwide

California Pizza Kitchen is launching an ambitious expansion into automated retail, planning to deploy up to 1,000 self-service kiosks across the United States in partnership with T-ROC Global.

The restaurant chain will target high-traffic locations where traditional full-service restaurants aren't feasible, including hospitals, hotels, university campuses, and sports venues. The automated units can produce a pizza in approximately 90 seconds using TurboChef-powered cooking technology paired with touchscreen ordering interfaces and data-driven systems.

Beyond pizza

While the brand built its reputation on pizza, the kiosk menu will extend to other California Pizza Kitchen offerings. Planned items include Kung Pao spaghetti, Bolognese spaghetti, multiple Mac 'N' Cheese varieties, and the company's signature Butter Cake.

California Pizza Kitchen began testing the automated retail concept in 2025. Machines are currently operational at four airports: Boston Logan International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dallas Love Field, and Dayton International Airport. The company expects to activate an additional 15 units at university locations by the end of 2026.

Why it matters

This deployment represents a significant bet on unattended retail as a distribution channel for established restaurant brands. By placing automated kiosks in venues where consumers need quick meal options but full-service restaurants can't operate economically, California Pizza Kitchen is testing whether brand loyalty translates to self-service formats. The scale of the rollout—1,000 units—suggests the company sees automated retail not as a novelty but as a core growth strategy that could reshape how restaurant chains think about real estate and labor costs.

Strategic partnership

"For decades, CPK has been dedicated to meeting consumers wherever they are, whether through our global restaurant network, airport and non-traditional locations, off-site events, or the local grocery store where we've been a leading premium pizza brand for 25 years," said Michael Beacham, President at California Pizza Kitchen Global. "Our automated retail strategy, now accelerated through a partnership with T-ROC, introduces CPK to entirely new occasions and venues where consumers desire quality food on the go."

Brett Beveridge, CEO and Founder at T-ROC Global, emphasized the infrastructure advantage: "By combining CPK's brand, food and loyal following with T-ROC's nationwide infrastructure and technology capabilities, we have an opportunity to build a new national distribution channel at a meaningful scale."

The details were first reported by Retail Tech Innovation Hub.