Pizza News of the Week: AI Pizza Assistants, Drone Delivery & Panko Crust Pizza | Pizza Roundtable

This week, Jim Mumford, Anna Crucitt, and Will Dumas dive into the future of pizza technology, the rise of AI-powered ordering systems, experimental crust techniques, and why Pizza Expo Columbus is becoming one of the industry’s fastest-growing events.

This week’s top stories and discussions include:

🍕 Pizza Expo Columbus 2026 Returns

Pizza Expo Columbus officially announces its 2026 dates, and the crew discusses why the Midwest pizza scene continues to grow with expanded competition categories, regional pizza styles, and stronger community engagement.

🤖 New Jersey’s First Pizza Tech Event

A first-of-its-kind pizza technology event in New Jersey showcases robotics, AI systems, automation, and autonomous delivery innovations designed to reshape the future of pizza operations.

📞 Papa John’s Launches AI Pizza Assistant

Papa John’s unveils “Lou AI,” its next-generation AI-powered pizza ordering assistant. The team debates whether AI improves convenience or risks removing the human connection from pizza culture.

🍞 The Viral Panko Breadcrumb Pizza

A New Jersey pizza shop is gaining attention for pressing panko breadcrumbs directly into the dough for extra crunch and texture.

Is this a brilliant innovation or a gimmick? The crew weighs in.

🚁 Little Caesars Achieves Drone Delivery Milestone

Little Caesars reaches a major tech milestone with drone delivery capable of transporting full family-sized pizza orders in just minutes. The future of pizza delivery may already be here.

🧀 Pimiento Cheese Pizza Hits Atlanta

Atlanta slice shop Glide Pizza is serving slices topped with pimiento cheese, burrata, mushrooms, and scallions. The hosts discuss Southern-inspired pizza experimentation and whether these bold toppings actually work.

Tune in every week for your essential pizza news recap from inside the industry.

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