Food has always been personal. But in 2025, it’s also powered — by data, automation, and design. Restaurants are evolving beyond kitchens into tech-led ecosystems that blend experience, logistics, and brand storytelling. From ghost kitchens and AI-driven menus to sustainability-first dining, the new wave of food startups isn’t just serving meals — they’re reshaping how we eat, order, and connect around the table.
Here are 10 restaurant and food-tech startups that have recently raised major rounds, expanded globally, or reinvented what “dining” can mean. You’ll find each company’s founder, funding details, and who’s backing them — all in one snapshot.
1. Wonder (USA) — “The mobile restaurant that drives to your door”
What they do: Wonder operates a fleet of mobile kitchens cooking chef-designed meals fresh on the street outside your home.
Founder: Marc Lore (also founded Jet.com, sold to Walmart).
Funding & investors: Raised $700 million Series C in 2024 led by NEA, with participation from Forerunner Ventures and Accel. Valued at nearly $3.5 billion.
Why they stand out: Merges delivery convenience with fine dining quality — the model could redefine food delivery economics.
Next move: Expanding beyond the U.S., testing partnerships with retail and stadium dining.
2. Rebel Foods (India) — “The world’s largest internet restaurant company”
What they do: Runs hundreds of cloud kitchens and brands (Behrouz Biryani, Oven Story, Faasos, and more) through a full-stack digital kitchen model.
Founders: Jaydeep Barman and Kallol Banerjee.
Funding & investors: Over $550 million total raised; backed by Qatar Investment Authority, Sequoia Capital India, Lightbox, and Goldman Sachs.
Why they stand out: Operates in 10+ countries, managing over 4,000 internet restaurants from a single technology layer.
Next move: Expanding into the Middle East and launching private-label food products.
3. Toast (USA) — “The operating system for restaurants”
What they do: End-to-end restaurant platform — POS, payments, marketing, payroll, delivery integration.
Founders: Aman Narang, Steve Fredette, and Jonathan Griffin.
Funding & investors: Went public after raising over $900 million privately; major backers include Bessemer Venture Partners, Tiger Global, and Google Ventures.
Why they stand out: Powers over 100,000 restaurants worldwide; the go-to SaaS suite for modern restaurants.
Next move: Deepen analytics, expand global presence, and strengthen embedded finance offerings.
4. Swiggy (India) — “More than delivery — a lifestyle platform”
What they do: Started as a food-delivery app, now offering grocery, dine-out, and restaurant tech solutions.
Founders: Sriharsha Majety, Nandan Reddy, and Rahul Jaimini.
Funding & investors: Over $3 billion raised from SoftBank, Accel, Prosus, and DST Global.
Why they stand out: Dominant in India’s $50 billion delivery market, pushing into restaurant SaaS and loyalty programs.
Next move: Expanding Swiggy Dineout internationally, exploring partnerships with mid-market chains.
5. C3 by sbe (USA) — “The ghost kitchen meets lifestyle brand”
What they do: Operates celebrity-driven virtual restaurant brands inside hotels, malls, and delivery platforms.
Founder: Sam Nazarian.
Funding & investors: Raised $100 million from REEF Technology and Simon Property Group.
Why they stand out: Bridges hospitality and digital dining — delivering high-end virtual brands through existing real estate.
Next move: Expanding internationally and launching physical hybrid dining lounges.
6. Sweetgreen (USA) — “Tech + greens = scalable wellness”
What they do: Fast-casual salad and bowl chain built on tech-driven logistics, sustainability, and personalization.
Founders: Jonathan Neman, Nicolas Jamal, and Nathaniel Ru.
Funding & investors: IPO (2021), previously raised $478 million from Fidelity, Revolution Growth, T. Rowe Price.
Why they stand out: Combines brand, sustainability, and predictive AI for food prep and sourcing.
Next move: Launching robotic “Infinite Kitchen” units and expanding to Asia.
7. Slice (USA / India) — “Digital platform empowering local pizzerias”
What they do: Provides ordering, loyalty, and analytics tools for independent pizza restaurants.
Founder: Ilir Sela.
Funding & investors: Raised $125 million in Series D (2024) from Kleiner Perkins and GPI Capital.
Why they stand out: Helps small restaurants scale digital presence without losing identity.
Next move: Global expansion to new cuisines beyond pizza and rollout of predictive demand systems.
8. Taster (UK / Europe) — “The digital-first food brand builder”
What they do: Builds delivery-only restaurant brands and licenses them to local kitchens across Europe.
Founder: Anton Soulier (ex-Deliveroo).
Funding & investors: Raised $50 million from Battery Ventures, LocalGlobe, and Heartcore Capital.
Why they stand out: Cloud kitchen meets brand-as-a-service — low capex model scaling fast.
Next move: Entering Asian markets and expanding into dine-in hybrid spaces.
9. EatJust (USA) — “Plant-based protein powering the future menu”
What they do: Produces plant-based egg and cultivated meat products served in partner restaurants globally.
Founder: Josh Tetrick.
Funding & investors: Over $850 million raised from Qatar Investment Authority, Temasek, Khosla Ventures, and Founders Fund.
Why they stand out: Not just a food brand — it’s a food-tech platform redefining supply chains.
Next move: Expand regulatory approvals for cultivated meat and scale B2B restaurant partnerships.
10. FreshMenu (India) — “Made-for-delivery dining reinvented”
What they do: Chef-led delivery kitchens offering freshly prepared meals curated for online orders.
Founder: Rashmi Daga.
Funding & investors: Raised $80 million from Zodius Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Kalaari Capital.
Why they stand out: Built one of India’s earliest full-stack food delivery models combining production, branding, and logistics.
Next move: Introducing subscription models and city-specific cuisines.
What These Startups Show
- Experience is now tech-driven. Whether it’s Wonder’s mobile kitchen or Sweetgreen’s robotics, automation is reshaping service.
- Cloud kitchens are the new franchise. Rebel Foods and Taster prove global brands can scale without owning dining rooms.
- Local identity still wins. Slice and FreshMenu show how tech empowers independent restaurants to compete with giants.
- Sustainability sells. Plant-based and eco-sourcing brands like EatJust are redefining what “good food” means for investors.
Final Thoughts
Every plate on this list tells a story — not just of flavor, but of transformation. Behind every funding round is a team rewriting how the restaurant business works: faster kitchens, smarter logistics, cleaner sourcing, tighter margins, happier guests.
At McArrows, we help such innovators turn growth capital into clear market momentum — from product positioning and branding to outreach and sales strategies that scale across cities and cultures. Because every restaurant startup needs more than great food — it needs a great story to serve.
