Fresh pizza may still need a driver, but Papa Johns Oven-Toasted Sandwiches don't.
The food chain teamed up with Wing, Alphabet’s drone delivery company, to test autonomous food delivery in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Customers near Sun Valley Commons in Indian Trail can order select sandwiches through the Wing app and receive them by drone.
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The partnership gives the pizza chain a live test of faster fulfillment and lower delivery costs.
"We are fundamentally shifting how our customers interact with our brand on digital platforms," Papa Johns Chief Digital and Technology Officer Kevin Vasconi said in a statement.
"With our agentic in-app ordering capabilities and Wing's ultra-fast delivery, we are redefining the entire ordering experience, ending with fresh, hot Papa Johns delivered by drone right to our customers' homes."
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The pilot also expands Papa Johns’ existing relationship with Google Cloud.
The testing ground may be small, but it gives restaurants an early look at how automation could change delivery logistics and customer expectations.
Drone Delivery Targets the Last Mile
The North Carolina test centers on short-range drone fulfillment for a curated sandwich menu.
This includes the Philly Cheesesteak, Chicken Bacon Ranch, and Steak & Mushroom sandwiches.
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The companies are also experimenting with aerodynamic load and packaging design to help keep food stable and warm during flight.
The partnership marks Wing's first direct deal with a national restaurant chain.
The partnership plans to eventually connect Wing's drone network directly to Papa Johns' app and Lou AI ordering system.
"Together, we are defining a new blueprint for how agentic commerce and industry-leading operational design will shape the future of food delivery," Heather Rivera, chief business officer at Wing, shared.
As restaurant brands compete on convenience, delivery speed is becoming part of the customer experience itself.
Automation Pressures in Food Delivery
Restaurant chains are testing automation as delivery costs continue to rise and consumer expectations tighten around efficiency.
- Faster delivery creates competitive pressure. Chains should test ways to shorten fulfillment times and increase repeat orders.
- First-party platforms hold more value. Brands should connect ordering, delivery, and customer data to improve retention.
- Regulation still limits expansion. Companies must first navigate airspace and safety rules to scale drone delivery.
As logistics technology improves, delivery systems are becoming a larger factor in how customers judge restaurant brands.
Our Take: Will Drone Delivery Scale Fast Enough?
Not yet, but the economics are becoming harder for brands to ignore.
Faster delivery and lower labor costs create a strong business case, especially for chains managing high volumes of short-distance orders.
We're also seeing the brand test smaller menu items first, because full pizza delivery presents more technical challenges than sandwiches or snack items.
But the biggest hurdle is still regulation.
Flight restrictions, weather conditions, and limited delivery zones could slow expansion even as customer curiosity grows.
If drone logistics become reliable, restaurant apps may evolve into fully connected ordering and delivery systems powered by AI.
It's not just the restaurant industry investing in AI-powered systems.
Deloitte found that 33% of U.S. shoppers planned to use AI in their purchasing journey last year.
Food chains looking to improve their delivery methods in an AI-driven world can explore these Top Food Delivery App Development Companies in our directory.
