Technology

Papa Johns, Wing launch drone delivery pilot in North Carolina

Photo: Papa Johns

May 11, 2026

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Papa Johns and Wing have launched a pilot program to deliver food by drone, beginning with a selection of toasted sandwiches for customers in the Charlotte area, according to a press release.

The partnership marks the first direct collaboration between Wing, an Alphabet company, and a national restaurant brand. The program is operating out of Indian Trail, North Carolina, for residents near Sun Valley Commons.

"Wing and Papa Johns are partnering to redefine autonomous quick service restaurant delivery. Today, this collaboration takes off with an initial pilot program in Charlotte, North Carolina to deliver new Oven Toasted Sandwiches, alongside a joint research and development initiative to transform the future of the industry," according to the press release.

The service is available through the Wing app, though the companies plan to integrate the drone network directly into the Papa Johns app and its AI assistant, Lou.

"We are fundamentally shifting how our customers interact with our brand on digital platforms," Kevin Vasconi, chief digital and technology officer at Papa Johns, said in the release. "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."

The technical side of the partnership involves developing new methods for packing and loading food to ensure aerodynamic stability during flight.

"This partnership is a true collaboration, bringing together Wing's pioneering technology and Papa Johns commitment to innovation," Heather Rivera, chief business officer at Wing, said in the release. "Together, we are defining a new blueprint for how agentic commerce and industry-leading operational design will shape the future of food delivery."

Eligible customers in the pilot zone can currently order Philly Cheesesteak, Chicken Bacon Ranch, and Steak and Mushroom sandwiches. The companies stated the initiative builds on Papa Johns' existing relationship with Google Cloud.

Papa Johns has more than 6,000 restaurants.