Checkmate and Zipline Partner to Bring Drone Delivery to More Restaurant Brands
Partnership integrates restaurant ordering technology used by 2,400+ brands with autonomous delivery network, creating
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Partnership integrates restaurant ordering technology used by 2,400+ brands with autonomous delivery network, creating a faster, more efficient last mile for restaurants and their guests
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 23, 2026 / Checkmate, a leading restaurant technology platform, today announced a partnership with Zipline, the world’s largest autonomous delivery company, to bring drone delivery to more restaurant brands.
The partnership addresses one of the biggest challenges in restaurant delivery: the last mile.
Digital ordering transformed how consumers order food, but getting that order from the restaurant to the customer still largely depends on cars. This means the customer experience depends on factors outside of restaurants’ control, with traffic and rising costs leading to longer delivery times and a worse experience.
Checkmate and Zipline are working together to change that.
By integrating Checkmate’s restaurant technology platform with Zipline’s autonomous delivery network, participating restaurants will be able to use their existing restaurant technology ecosystem to enable Zipline drone delivery.
Zipline’s electric drones autonomously retrieve orders and quietly fly them directly to customers’ homes.
For restaurant brands, Checkmate’s integration means drone delivery is an easy to implement fulfillment option rather than another disconnected system for operators to manage.
“Restaurant delivery has evolved incredibly quickly, but there is still a huge opportunity to rethink what happens after an order leaves the kitchen,” said Vishal Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Checkmate. “By partnering with Zipline, we’re helping make autonomous delivery something restaurant brands can actually incorporate into their operations. The goal is simple: give brands more ways to serve their guests without creating more complexity for restaurant teams.”
Rethinking the Restaurant Last Mile
Delivery has become a permanent part of restaurant operations. At the same time, operators continue to balance speed, cost, reliability and the guest experience.
Drone delivery fundamentally changes the equation for operators by making it possible to have food delivered just a few minutes after it’s finished cooking. Zipline’s average flight time is 3 minutes, and its shortest click-to-delivery time is 5 minutes.
For restaurants, autonomous drone delivery helps brands create more predictable delivery experiences, expand their reach to serve more customers and reduce dependence on traditional last-mile infrastructure.
The Checkmate integration makes that technology easier for restaurant brands to adopt.
Eligible orders can move from the restaurant’s digital ordering ecosystem into Zipline’s fulfillment network, so restaurant employees don’t need to manage a completely separate delivery workflow.
“Restaurants want better delivery options without added complexity. Hundreds of restaurants are now using Zipline for fast and reliable drone delivery, and with Checkmate, we’re excited to make it even easier for brands to deliver a modern experience with the software they already run on,” said Chris Kenney, Head of National Partnerships for Zipline. “Drone delivery is a growth driver. Customers get a better experience, and restaurants get more demand.”
From Digital Ordering to Autonomous Delivery
Restaurant technology has historically focused heavily on what happens before an order is placed: digital menus, ordering interfaces, POS integrations and payment.
The next evolution is increasingly about what happens after the customer taps “Order.”
Checkmate sees fulfillment as part of a larger connected restaurant ecosystem where ordering, menus, restaurant systems and emerging technologies can work together instead of operating as separate platforms.
Checkmate’s work with Zipline extends that connected experience to the physical delivery of the order.
“Restaurants shouldn’t have to choose between innovation and operational simplicity,” added Agarwal. “Our role is to make new technology easier for brands to adopt and scale. Zipline is another revenue-generating opportunity that Checkmate can now bring to its restaurant partners, at no additional cost. Drone delivery is a great example of where the industry is heading, and we want to make that future accessible to restaurant operators.”
The companies expect to announce additional details about participating restaurant brands, locations and availability as the partnership rolls out.
About Checkmate
Checkmate is a restaurant technology platform helping brands simplify and scale their digital operations. Checkmate connects restaurant systems, ordering channels and guest-facing technologies through a unified platform, helping operators manage digital complexity while creating better experiences for their customers.
Learn more at itsacheckmate.com.
About Zipline
Zipline is the world’s largest drone delivery service. Today, its zero-emission aircraft operate on four continents, make a delivery somewhere in the world every 15 seconds, and serve more than 5,000 hospitals and health facilities. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles flown to date, Zipline is transforming access to healthcare, consumer products, and food. Customers rely on Zipline to save lives, save them time, increase economic opportunity, and provide logistics at scale. For more information, visit Zipline.com.
Media Contact:
Checkmate
Irina Jordan
VP Marketing
irina@itsacheckmate.com
Zipline
media@zipline.com
SOURCE: Checkmate
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