Hungry at the Airport? A Robot Will Make Your Pizza in Minutes at John Glenn International

Travelers passing through John Glenn Columbus International Airport can now grab a hot pizza without waiting in line — thanks to a robot.

Donatos Pizza launched its first fully automated restaurant at CMH in June 2025, bringing 24/7 service to hungry flyers who don't have time to spare. The robotic kiosk can have a fresh pizza ready in just two and a half minutes.

Here's what travelers need to know:

How it works: Place your order, receive a locker number and access code, then retrieve your hot pizza from the secure compartment. It's that simple.

What's on the menu: For now, the robot serves up cheese and pepperoni pizzas — classic choices for a quick airport meal.

Behind the technology: The automated system combines robotics and data science to keep operations running smoothly. A built-in monitoring system will shut things down automatically if any issues arise, and the machine receives multiple cleanings throughout the day plus a thorough deep clean each night.

What about jobs? Donatos emphasizes the technology is meant to complement human workers, not replace them. Company officials say the innovation could actually create new positions in engineering and manufacturing.

What's next: If the airport location proves successful, Donatos plans to expand its robotic pizza kiosks to other 24-hour environments, including hospitals and casinos.

Next time you're rushing to catch a flight out of Columbus, that piping-hot slice might just be served by a machine.