Inside Yum! Brands' new integrated tech platform Byte by Yum!
At least 25,000 Yum! restaurants are utilising the platform.
Yum! Brands has launched Byte by Yum!, an AI-driven, cloud-based technology platform designed to streamline restaurant operations across its global network, including KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Habit Burger & Grill.
The platform integrates key digital functions, offering a centralized solution for managing ordering systems, kitchen and delivery logistics, inventory, labour, and menu optimisation. Byte by Yum! is positioned as a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, allowing franchisees to adopt advanced technology without needing custom-built systems, improving operational efficiency across thousands of locations.
Chris Turner, Yum! Brands' CFO, highlighted the company’s rapid expansion and digital transformation, stating, “In 2024, we opened 4,535 new stores across more than 100 countries. Our digital progress this year was similarly enviable, with digital sales up approximately 15% and digital mix surpassing 50%, reflecting steady progress towards our ambition to reach 100% digital sales.”
He emphasised that launching Byte by Yum! required standardisation of processes and team consolidation, efforts that began last year to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and long-term growth.
By leveraging AI, the platform enables restaurants to predict demand, reduce waste, and improve service speed, ensuring smoother workflows and better customer experiences. It also supports team members by providing real-time insights, automating routine processes, and optimising kitchen workflows to handle fluctuating order volumes.
Currently, more than 25,000 Yum! locations worldwide are already using at least one component of Byte by Yum!, with plans for further adoption as the company expands its digital infrastructure.
The group said that by consolidating multiple operational tools into a flexible, modular system, the platform allows franchisees to implement technology at their own pace whilst enhancing their ability to scale and compete in an increasingly tech-driven fast-food industry.
In its recent earnings report, Yum! Brands saw worldwide system sales growth of 4% excluding foreign currency translation, with KFC at 3%, and Taco Bell at 8%.
Pizza Hut fell in global system sales by 1%. The restaurant operator opened a total of 4,535 gross units during the year.
