Retailers are using AI across the business, from holiday cups to operations
Pictured from left to right are Kyle Drennon of Supper Co. , Angell Tsang of Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery, Joe Hamza of Nouria and Leon Davoyan of Dave’s Hot Chicken. | Jon Mouer Photography Artificial. . .
Pictured from left to right are Kyle Drennon of Supper Co. , Angell Tsang of Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery, Joe Hamza of Nouria and Leon Davoyan of Dave’s Hot Chicken. | Jon Mouer PhotographyArtificial intelligence(AI) has evolved from an information technology (IT) tool to a company-wide business strategy, transforming how restaurant and convenience-store operators approach everything from product design to daily operations. This insight comes from industry executives speaking at Informa Connect’s Outlook Leadership event Aug. 5 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. “I think the competition that’s going to disrupt our industries moving forward, whether it be the restaurant industry or the c-store industry, will probably come from native companies that were started with code, rather than a typical business house,” said panel moderatorKyle Drennon, co-CEO of Supper Co. , Springfield, Missouri. Angell Tsang, co-founder and chief technology officer at Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery in Austin, Texas, shared how his company exemplified this approach. He spent a year writing code before opening his first restaurant. “Today we are leveraging it significantly,” Tsang said. “We continue to build, build, build. "Tsang said his company is building custom code, applications and automations across the entire company, converting traditional computer and software functions into AI-powered tools. Practical applicationsJoe Hamza, chief operating officer of Nouria Energy Corp. , Worcester, Massachusetts, andCSP’s 2026 Retail Leader of the Year, shared how AI helped design a holiday cup for the retailer. Hamza said he and his team went through several iterations, and AI helped refine the final product. “The lesson here is that AI is as good as the context as the information you feed it,” he said. Nouria Energy Corp. isNo. 29onCSP’s2026 Top 202ranking of U. S. c-store chains by store count. . Operations for all operatorsLeon Davoyan, chief technology officer at Dave’s Hot Chicken based in Pasadena, California, said proprietary code isn’t necessary for every operator. He said Dave’s Hot Chicken uses AI, but through a vendor. “You don’t have to build you own infrastructure,” he said. The panel emphasized that AI implementation varies by company size and resources, but the technology is becoming essential for retailers across all segments. Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.