Get the 2026 Restaurant

Technology Outlook

Top strategies and trends from nearly 500 restaurant operators

The restaurant technology world moves fast. Is your business ready for what's next?

Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Business surveyed nearly 500 restaurant operators on how they're using customer data, AI, automation, and more to gain an edge in 2026.

What are the top investment targets for the year ahead? How satisfied are they with their current tech stacks? How is technology evolving the customer and employee experience? And, of course, who's leveraging AI — and how?

It's all in the 2026 Restaurant Technology Outlook, our fourth annual industry study, out now. Access your free copy to explore the full results and see how your strategies stack up.

Top 5 investment targets

See which systems and capabilities operators will be adding or updating in the year ahead for maximum ROI.
View Report.

Top AI use cases

More operators report using AI tools — or planning to add them soon — than ever before. See their top 5 applications for AI in 2026.
View report.

Integration headaches

Challenges around data management, staff training, and tech stack architecture continue to burden operators.
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Boost the bottom line

See how tech is saving money in in the back-of-the-house through optimized inventory, kitchen prep and menu development.
View report.

Drowning in data

Learn how the savviest operators turn a sea of customer and operations data into actionable insights that streamline operations and drive traffic.
View report.

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