xPizza Day Features Robots, AI and Autonomous Delivery
MONTVILLE, N.J. (April 20, 2026) — Nearly 300 attendees gathered at The Columbia Inn in Montville for the inaugural xPizza Day, a first-of-its-kind event showcasing how robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous delivery are beginning to reshape the pizza industry. Created by Anthony Pizzi, founder of the NJ Pizza Alliance, the event brought together operators, technology companies and media from across the country for a live look at what’s next for one of America’s most established food categories.
The NJ Pizza Alliance is a statewide network connecting pizzerias, brands, influencers and consumers with the goal of supporting independent operators while positioning New Jersey as a leader in pizza culture and innovation.
Attendees experienced a full range of emerging technologies through live demonstrations, product activations and educational programming focused on improving efficiency, consistency and scalability for independent pizzerias.
A central moment of the event was an autonomous drone pizza delivery executed by Dexa. The drone traveled approximately two miles before landing back at The Columbia Inn, marking what is believed to be the first autonomous drone pizza delivery of its kind in New Jersey and the Northeastern United States.
In recognition of the milestone, Frank Cooney, mayor of Montville, issued an official proclamation recognizing the delivery as the first of its kind in the state and region, as well as the broader significance of xPizza Day as the world’s first event dedicated to pizza robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous delivery. The proclamation was presented to the event’s organizer.
Joe Houghton, president of Dexa, said the company is currently operating a 90-day pilot program in Green Brook, New Jersey, with Grubhub and Wonder. According to Houghton, Dexa is developing a new drone expected to launch later this year capable of delivering a full 16-inch pizza. For the demonstration at xPizza Day, the drone delivered three 8-inch pizzas prepared at the Cyber Pizza Truck, highlighting both current capabilities and future direction.
The event also highlighted the role of regulation in the adoption of new technologies. While innovation continues to move quickly, regulatory frameworks remain a key factor in determining how fast these systems can be implemented at scale.
“The technology is here, the regulations are not,” said Fabio Arbelaez, owner of the Cyber Pizza Truck.
Despite these challenges, the event reflected a growing openness among both operators and consumers, with many attendees engaging directly with the technology for the first time.
Beyond the drone demonstration, xPizza Day featured a range of technologies currently entering the restaurant space. Autonomous droids delivered food throughout the event, humanoid robots interacted with attendees, and vehicles from Tesla were on-site offering full self-driving demonstrations.
xRobotics presented its Pizza Cube system, calibrated to replicate The Columbia Inn’s One Bite-rated 8.7 bar pie. The system produced pizzas in seconds with a level of consistency that drew attention from operators in attendance.
Igor Buchatskiy, head of sales, and Denis Rodionov both pointed to the event as a signal of growing demand for automation in the industry.
“We will be back next year in a much bigger way. This event was game changing for us,” the company said in a joint statement, noting the system’s ability to replicate existing pizza styles with precision.
Additional participating companies included Toast, Pepsi, Palona AI, RoboStore, Coco, 24/7 Restaurant Equipment, Metro Exhibits, Texas Frozen Tech, and Digital Presence.
Food and product partners supported the event at scale. The Cyber Pizza Truck served more than 800 slices of pizza, Polly-O distributed 500 cheese sticks and 500 cannoli, and Patty-O-Matic produced 400 burger sliders on-site. Additional support was provided by Caputo Flour and Bee Dolce.
The event also included a series of fireside discussions featuring industry leaders, focusing on automation, artificial intelligence, and operational efficiency for independent pizzerias. The sessions were hosted by Todd DeGroat, founder of Popp’s Trophies and inventor of the Pizza Peel Magnet. As part of the programming, New Haven Pizza Club artist Michael Pollack brought installations from New Haven, Connecticut, including a custom pizza throne and a moon-inspired pizza sculpture. The piece was designed to commemorate Artemis II, NASA’s upcoming return to the Moon and the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.
xPizza Day received coverage from national and regional media outlets including NBC, CBS, FOX, News 12 New Jersey, NorthJersey.com and ONNJ.
“The pizza industry is flocking to New Jersey to experience the future,” said Anthony Pizzi. “It’s here, and New Jersey is now the home.”
With its inaugural event, xPizza Day positions New Jersey as an emerging hub for innovation in the pizza industry.
Plans for 2027 are already underway, with organizers aiming to expand the event’s scale, programming, and participation.
About the NJ Pizza Alliance
The NJ Pizza Alliance is a statewide network connecting pizzerias, brands, influencers, and consumers. The organization focuses on supporting independent operators, driving collaboration, and positioning New Jersey as a leading destination for pizza culture and innovation.
