Miranda Essig Miranda Essig

Why I'm mapping the entire food-service industry in public

August 2, 2026

Most food operators are drowning in options. There are hundreds of POS systems, kitchen-display tools, inventory apps, scheduling platforms, online-ordering middlemen, and now a wave of physical automation โ€” from fry-station robots to smart vending. Almost nobody has a clear, honest map of what exists, what it costs, and what it's actually good for.

So I'm building one, in the open.

This site is a living hub for the food-service industry: the software, the physical tools, the SOPs, and the players across restaurants, quick-serve, vending, and meal service. As I research each corner, I'll publish what I find โ€” no affiliate spin, just what's real.

Two reasons. First, it's the fastest way for me to learn the industry deeply. Second, a clear map is genuinely useful โ€” to operators choosing tools, and to me when I help them do it.

More soon.