2026 Outlook: Experts Discuss Restaurant Trends and Challenges, Part Three

20 Min Read By MRM Staff

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts for their views on what trends and challenges owners and operators can expect to see in 2026. The evolving definition of value, strategic use of automation, and greater emphasis on experiential dining emerged as prominent themes.

Heading into 2026, the big story in casual dining is getting people back in the dining room. We’re leaning into what makes us special—great food paired with genuine southern hospitality. Guests want more than a meal; they want an experience that feels warm and personal. So, we’re doubling down on things like community events, bar programs, and making sure every visit feels memorable. It’s about creating reasons to gather and making Sonny’s the go‑to spot for family and friends.

Labor costs, food prices, and saas fees are all moving targets, so we’re evaluating our menu pricing and investing in kitchen upgrades that make us faster and more efficient without sacrificing quality. We’re also being thoughtful about technology. There’s so much buzz around AI and automation, but we’re not chasing every new idea—we’re looking for tools that help our franchisees and teams improve profitability and the guest experience in real, measurable ways.

As we go into 2026, there’s plenty to be excited about. Catering is growing as people return to office gatherings and family celebrations, and being named to Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 gives us great momentum for growth. We see opportunities to expand in key markets and attract multi‑unit operators who share our values. It’s a challenging environment, no doubt, but we believe that by staying true to our roots—great BBQ, genuine hospitality—and pairing that with smart innovation, Sonny’s BBQ is set up for a strong year ahead.

– George McAllan, President of Sonny’s BBQ

Pendulum Swings: Meat Returns, Drinks Get Just a Little More ABV, & Guests Show Up for the Party Not the PickUp

We’re seeing the pendulum swing back across a few categories. After years of a focus on plant-based options, we’re seeing a return to meat. Dishes like bone marrow and sweetbreads are trending, and protein is the buzzword of the moment. In beverage, the story isn’t all about going N/A—it’s about finding balance, with growing interest in lower ABV options as well as alcohol free. For the past five+ years, so much discussion focused on delivery and online ordering, now restaurants are focusing on ways of fostering social interaction, like hosting Mahjong nights or day time chai raves. 

– Candace MacDonald, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Carbonate

 Restaurants and hospitality groups are leaning into “wellness-as-social life,” creating spaces where guests come to feel good and connect, not just to drink and be seen. Instead of posting up at a bar waiting for a spark, diners are choosing hospitality experiences that blend self-care with community: daytime sound baths, zero-proof cocktail pairings, and coffee-shop DJ sets that feel like a night out without the hangover. It’s the social energy of a lounge meeting the intentionality of a studio, but with food, beverage, and service doing the heavy lifting. For operators, the opportunity is clear: curate programming that attracts like-minded people, extends dayparts, and positions the venue as a lifestyle hub beyond traditional gyms or bars. 

For operators, the opportunity is clear: curate programming that attracts like-minded people, extends dayparts, and positions the venue as a lifestyle hub beyond traditional gyms or bars. 

Restaurants are doubling down on experiential dining, where the meal is only one chapter of a larger, carefully staged story. Operators are reimagining unassuming spaces into destinations with live music, cabaret, and staff-driven narratives that keep guests engaged well past dessert, turning dinner into the night out rather than the pregame. From a legal and operational lens, this shift raises real considerations: cabaret or live entertainment may trigger additional permits, union or wage-and-hour compliance for performers and extended service, and stricter attention to noise, crowd flow, ADA access, and certificate-of-occupancy limits. Done right, though, it creates a high-value evening that guests plan around, because they’re not just buying food, they’re buying a memory.

Major cities are seeing a surge in immersive, ticketed experiential activations, modern dinner theatre where hospitality, nightlife, tech, and narrative play on equal footing. Guests don’t just sit for a meal; they move through interactive sets and performances over two to three hours, blurring the line between restaurant, show, and nightlife venue. From a legal/operator standpoint, these events require tight alignment of ticketing terms and disclosures, alcohol service rules, and venue compliance. Entertainment elements can require additional permits, labor classifications for performers, security plans, and strict adherence to occupancy, fire safety, and ADA access as guests circulate. Done well, these activations unlock premium pricing and destination demand, but they succeed only when the experience is as carefully regulated as it is choreographed.

Restaurants are leaning hard into data-powered hospitality, AI ordering, loyalty apps, and reservation platforms that remember guests’ preferences, birthdays, and milestones to make every visit feel tailor-made. But the more personal the experience, the bigger the legal and operational exposure: evolving privacy laws are expanding what businesses must disclose, how they obtain consent, how long they can keep data, and what rights guests have to access or delete it. At the same time, breaches of reservation, payment, or loyalty databases can trigger costly notification duties, regulatory penalties, and serious brand damage. The bottom line is that “personalization” is no longer just a marketing advantage—it’s a compliance and cybersecurity obligation that restaurants have to treat as core risk management.

 – Joseph MacLellan, a partner in the Hospitality, Alcohol & Leisure Industry Group at law firm Greenspoon Marder LLP

In 2026, the rise of AI across all industries cannot be ignored, and restaurants are no different. The most forward thinking restaurateurs will be those who balance automation with hospitality, implementing AI as a co-pilot, not the total solution.

AI can help free up employees to focus on the guest instead of spending hours in the cooler counting inventory, piecing together next week’s schedule, or calculating what to order from suppliers. When those tasks are automated, teams can do what they do best, build connections, anticipate needs, and deliver great service.

The most successful operators in 2026 will be the ones who embrace AI not as a replacement for people, but as an enabler. Empowering their teams, improving efficiency and, ironically, creating a more human-centered restaurant experience.

– Back of House consultant and co-host of the So You Want to Run a Restaurant? podcast, Spencer Michiel.

For 2026, the consumer mantra will be 'authenticity over abundance.' Restaurant owners are going to be entering the year feeling a tighter squeeze than ever before, primarily due to rising input costs and a net decline in beverage sales – as the decrease in alcohol purchases continues to outpace the growth in the NA and low-ABV categories.

We predict restaurants will aggressively shrink menus reducing both mise en place and labor costs.

To combat this pressure, we predict restaurants will aggressively shrink menus reducing both mise en place and labor costs. This cost-conscious environment will drive diners toward localized, micro-regional cuisine and reinforce the trend of declining alcohol spend in favor of non-alcoholic alternatives.

Bottom line: the winning move for next year is trading menu size for culinary street cred and being adaptive to make every dish feel worth the price.

 – David Morgan is the VP of Food & Beverage Strategy at Sonesta International Hotels 

We believe the next 12 to 18 months are going to be a time of significant consolidation in the restaurant technology sector. If you go back and look at the capital raised during the 2017 through the 2021 time period, both the number of deals as well as the amount of capital raised, there haven't been the number of exits and harvesting of that invested capital over the last few years. We’re getting longer in the life cycle for both venture as well as private equity investment, so we believe this will lead to significant M&A in the near and medium term.

Private equity activity in the year ahead

What we see happening is that a lot of the private equity-backed platforms that want to scale inorganically are going to be stepping into the market to buy some of these businesses. And in this market, asset selection is always important. It's paramount. I think you're going to start to see the higher-quality assets be purchased by larger, established private equity-backed platforms and/or private equity firms looking to step in and add a new restaurant technology asset to their portfolio.

Characterization of the restaurant technology market M&A

2025 definitely saw what I would say are green shoots in the restaurant tech M&A market that we think are going to lead to more activity in 2026 than there was in 2025, but 2025 was definitely better than 2024.

Segment predictions:

  • POS and digital ordering remain highly competitive segments. There are a lot of companies out there that are providing those solutions, and you're starting to see some consolidation in that space.

  • Solutions that serve the back of house will remain of high importance. We’ll start to see the dust settle on who the winners are going to be in these sub-segment.

  • Artificial intelligence will transform businesses. We expect a lot of growth here. I would say any solutions that reduce the demand on labor in the restaurant are going to be especially important.

– Jason Myler, Managing Director at Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL), where he leads the firm’s Restaurant Technology group.

GLP-1 use in 2025 and 2026

2025 saw an increase in the use of weight loss medications which is impacting retail grocery buying, restaurant dining, and social gatherings. Those taking GLP-1s are snacking less and focusing on nutrient-dense foods high in protein and fiber for the few calories they are consuming each day. Protein bars and meal replacement shakes, Greek yogurt snacks, and fiber supplements are stepping up to support people in their new regimes.

For 2026, changes in health insurance and medication coverage could cause a shift and cause many users to drop the medications if they can’t afford them. However, if prices of Ozempic and other GLP-1s go down, as current news from the Trump administration may indicate, that would mean a big increase in use and impact on the food industry at large. For restaurant operators, it’s time to add snacking plates, high-protein mini-meals and other offerings that lure diners who are not really that hungry but want to join friends and family dining out.

Gen-Z’s love of ‘little treats’ seemingly has no end and has fueled a huge rise in creative artisan baking across the country.

Beverage Mania

Dirty sodas were a hot topic for restaurants, QSRs and specialty soda shops in 2025. Will this trend continue? It’s more likely to morph into a broader trend of maximum layers, toppings and garnishes on all kinds of drinks, from coffees to matcha to milkshakes and more. Layers of flavored cream, crunchy dessert-like crumbles or actual treat garnishes, multiple flavors and colors in the glass, and more inclusions like boba and jellies will appear on more styles of drinks, blending the boba tea drink trend with dirty sodas and coffee lattes. It will be a big mash-up that will also likely spur a counter-trend in simplified, pure offerings without all the hoopla. Coffee flavors on top for next year include more banana coffee, more fruit-flavored coffee (guava, mango), and also a rise in Yemeni coffee shops, new gathering places that are open late at night and that offer enticing food and drink.

Bakery Adventures

Gen-Z’s love of ‘little treats’ seemingly has no end and has fueled a huge rise in creative artisan baking across the country. Mostly based on laminated doughs, today’s baked goods are a platform for a huge variety of global flavors that will only grow in 2026. Middle Eastern-and Asian-accented croissants and cinnamon buns, layered honey cake, squishy filled beignets and pretzel croissants are just some of the baked goods appearing in bakeries across the US and which could find homes on more styles of restaurant menus — for brunch or even dessert.

– Kara Neilsen, Les Dames d’Escoffier International San Francisco Chapter President, Trendologist

As AI becomes part of daily life, I’m seeing an even stronger pull toward genuine human connection. Hospitality has always been about people caring for people, and that doesn’t get replaced by technology. Guests are expecting more, and they’re gravitating toward service that feels personal and intentional. You can feel it in the return of high-touch moments — tableside carving, dessert carts, crafted cocktails. Those experiences have heart, and no tech can replicate that.

– Indigo Road Hospitality Group Founder Steve Palmer 

The hospitality industry has shown remarkable resilience and renewal through 2025. We’re seeing a surge of new restaurant openings and a real boost in public confidence, particularly in cities like Atlanta where accolades such as Michelin Bib Gourmands are helping to drive awareness and footfall.

Looking ahead to 2026, evolving consumer behaviour will continue to shape the dining landscape. The rise in GLP-1 use is already influencing menus and portion sizes, with more restaurants offering smaller, more refined plates and a shift away from fast food and snack-heavy options. It’s a fascinating period of adaptation. Chefs and restaurateurs are responding with creativity, agility, and an even stronger focus on quality over quantity.

– Barbara Pires, Les Dames d’Escoffier InternationalAtlanta Chapter, Director of Operations Henri's Bakery & Deli

Scans will become the new first impression in 2026

In 2026, the first real interaction many guests have in a restaurant will happen through a QR code. People already pull out their phones and scan regularly in restaurants, but most of those scans still land on a basic menu or a generic page. Today, diners are looking for more than that, like clear allergy information, suggestions based on what they’ve ordered before, or a small offer that fits the moment. As operators start to build around those expectations, the QR scan becomes less of a one-off utility and more of a real part of how they deliver hospitality.

In 2026, solving digital chaos will become the biggest cost saver for restaurants and QSRs.

In 2026, solving digital chaos will become the biggest cost saver for restaurants and QSRs.

Next year, the biggest operational wins won’t come from new hardware; they’ll come from untangling the digital chaos that already exists in many restaurants and QSRs. Menus, promos, signage, loyalty, and packaging all run on separate tracks today, and guests feel that disconnect every time something doesn’t match. Operators will start investing in tools that link those touchpoints. For example, a single scannable QR code can update a menu based on a guest’s known preferences, feed a loyalty program, trigger a kitchen alert, or route feedback without any extra work. Connecting those moments will remove more friction than any new device.

– Sharat Potharaju, Co-Founder & CEO at Uniqode

In 2025, our guests are telling us three things: they want to know WHAT is in their meal (both ingredients and where it came from), they want genuine VALUE (not just discount prices), and they want to share memorable dining experiences both in our restaurants and at home. At WOWorks, we’re responding by giving them choice (clean, recognized ingredients, plus our BigZpoon transparency), value (customizable bowls, premium LTOs, smart pricing for new products/flavors, new menus with chef-curated items), and community (shareable sides, community outreach, The Giving Kitchen etc.). From our recent LTOs, like the ‘Birria Tacos and Bowls,’ Gyro Loaded Fries,’ ‘Hot Honey Chicken & Wild Rice Bowl,’ we’re delivering fresh, on-trend, and shareable options that reflect both what guests want now and where the industry is headed. 

1. Transparency and Clean Ingredients

Consumers increasingly prioritize transparency in what they eat, “clean, recognizable ingredients” and awareness of nutrition are table-stakes now. Also, the demand for menu transparency (ingredient source, nutrition, traceability) is rising. 

2. Economic Awareness and Value Conscious Consumers

Guests are more value conscious than ever. They are making smarter dining choices. Remember, value isn't JUST about price, it's actually the following equation "Food + Experiences/Price". If the food and experience are fantastic, people don't mind paying a little more for it if it makes them feel better about what they're eating. 

3. Commitment to Community Dining and Shared Experiences

Guests have a strong desire for communal dining moments, gathering with friends/family, enjoying shared experiences even in the current environment.

The industry is seeing that while convenience and take-out have grown, there is still strong demand for the on-premises social dining experience. Communal dining also ties beautifully into our “shared choice” menus or build-your-own bowls which allow large groups to customize while still ordering all together. By giving guests unique choices (bases + proteins + toppings + sauces + sides), you empower not just individual diners, but groups, families, or friends, to each get what they want, yet share the overall experience.

– Kelly Roddy, CEO of WOWorks
 

Looking ahead to 2026, operators are gaining a level of control over their sound environments that hasn’t existed before. Location-level permissions are a perfect example. Instead of giving every user access to an entire account, brands can finally match access to actual responsibility. It eliminates unnecessary mistakes and keeps each restaurant sounding the way the brand intended. At the same time, zone activity logs give managers a clearer picture of what actually happened during a shift. Who adjusted the music, who muted a zone, when changes were made. In an industry defined by fast service, that kind of visibility removes guesswork and helps keep the guest experience steady.

As music management moves into the browser, teams can handle sound the same way they handle other digital tools, quickly, without setup hurdles and as part of their normal workflow. Together, these shifts show how sound is becoming a true operational layer for restaurants, something teams can manage with confidence, consistency and much less effort. 

– Ola Sars, CEO of Soundtrack Technologies

Looking ahead to 2026, we’re energized by growing enthusiasm for restaurant experiences and entertainment that bring people together for more than just a good meal. Right now guests are looking for opportunities to connect and get more for their dollar.  As guests become more discerning when choosing where to spend, the demand for sports entertainment keeps us well-positioned for continued growth. At Tom’s Watch Bar, we’re built for sporting events – and we’re excited to bring more fans and enthusiasts together in a lively, social environment in the new year.

– Brooks Schaden, Co-CEO, Tom’s Watch Bar

Price Volatility and Tariff Uncertainty (2025): Ongoing trade tensions and the threat of new tariffs on imported goods have kept ingredient costs unpredictable, forcing operators to constantly adjust menus and pricing strategies.

Demographic and Labor Shifts (2025): The lingering effects of pandemic-era workforce changes continue—many experienced workers left the industry permanently, leading to a younger, less stable labor pool and higher wage pressures.

Operational Strain from Fixed Costs (2025): Rising insurance premiums, rent, and utilities remain major burdens, with slim margins challenging even established restaurants. Many independents are advocating for policy reform or industry-wide cost reevaluation.

Value Over Luxury (2025): Diners are seeking quality experiences that feel affordable—favoring mid-priced restaurants, shareable menus, and transparent pricing over high-end excess.

Diners are seeking quality experiences that feel affordable—favoring mid-priced restaurants, shareable menus, and transparent pricing over high-end excess.

AI Integration Accelerates (2026): Artificial intelligence will become a practical tool for scheduling, inventory management, menu design, and even personalized customer engagement, helping operators control costs and predict demand.

Health and Comfort Rebalance (2026): Expect a blending of wellness-focused dining and nostalgic comfort foods—menus that promise both nourishment and emotional satisfaction.

Hopeful Industry Recalibration (2026): There’s growing optimism that 2026 will bring a reset in real estate and insurance markets, potentially easing fixed costs and allowing restaurants to reinvest in staff, sustainability, and innovation.

– Barbara Sibley, Les Dames d’Escoffier International New York Chapter President, CEO La Palapa, Creative Director Holiday Cocktail Lounge

Use of AI across operational systems, predictive ordering, data analysis of operational efficiencies as well as consumer buying data.  Allow the "boots on the ground" to execute more efficiently and effectively with better data.

  • Focus on "Service" will continue to be the focus of high-performing restaurants that separates them from the rest and beyond the food product itself.  In competitive market and categories where the "me too's" are thick, we see more and more of trend of restaurants (Like Bad Ass Coffee) that separate themselves from the fray by not just focusing, but committing to a definable and obvious service & brand experience.

  • Consumer Behavior Trend:  There is more and more data available that consumers today, now more than ever, choose their restaurant by on the "why" – Why do I choose this restaurant over another for transactions vs experience.  How do you cater your product and service offering to meet the varied needs of consumers.  Is their visit functional, social, business?  

  • Optimizing Labor Efficiency to reduce cost.  Exploring innovative ways to automate, use of AI, technology to create labor efficiencies and optimize labor use for enhanced customer brand/service experience.

  • Menu analysis to improve profitability.  With Tarrifs impacting many menu items, today's smart restauranteurs must not only be proactive on pricing that maintains their business proforma, but must also focus on regular menu analysis to determine the viability of certain menu items it relates to total operational COGS & operational carrying costs.

  • Social Marketing:  Increased personalization and customization of brand messaging by consumers direct.

–  Scott Snyder, CEO Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a report earlier this year that the number of verdicts above $100 million reached a record in 2023, up nearly 400 percent from 2013 as reported in The Wall Street Journal’s 2024 piece, “Nuclear’ Jury Verdicts Rise Alongside American Anger.”

The need for regulation to curb these excessive awards is paramount. Caring about nuclear verdicts helps restaurants protect their financial stability, brand integrity, and long-term viability in a competitive industry.

– Society Insurance

In 2026, I think increased competition and elevated pricing will put pressure on the coffee industry as a whole.  Smaller brands will have to get more creative on absorbing/handling rising coffee costs, and ultimately, consumers will feel a large portion of that price increase. QSRs will focus on value adding not didscounts.

Because of this economic pressure I think some brands will lean heavily into the use of AI and focus in on ways to automate their processes to save on labor.  At the same time, I think other brands will pivot more to their roots of being people-centric and building great relationships with customers, effectively focusing on actual people versus AI to grow their brand.

– Darren Spicer, Co-Founder of Clutch Coffee

Cross-Cultural Cooking is the New Language of Creativity

Another main theme this year is the speed of cultural exchange. We’re living in a global world fueled by social media, where inspiration travels faster than ever. What’s trending in Seoul today might be on a menu in San Francisco tomorrow—and diners are ready for it. Cross-cultural cooking isn’t a niche anymore; it’s become the new language of creativity.”

– Leith Steel, Director of Insights, Carbonate

I believe the physical restaurant experience is becoming a critical differentiator again, and this is an area where guests see value. Brands that invest in their four walls – creating environments that tell their food story and connect emotionally with guests – will stand out.  We're positioning ourselves around these fundamentals because we believe taste, variety, and value will always be the North Star – regardless of what challenges the industry faces.

 -Jim Sullivan, CEO, Smashburger

Technology will define success in 2026. As restaurants navigate consumer uncertainty, tech investments will be critical to streamlining operations, enhancing guest experiences, optimizing labor, and protecting margins. We see growing demand for consolidated solutions that replace fragmented systems with integrated platforms delivering real results.

To stay competitive, restaurants need trusted technologies—AI-powered solutions for 1:1 personalization, predictive inventory and labor management, and intelligent upsell opportunities—combined with scalable infrastructure and robust security to protect customer data.

– Benny Tadele, Executive Vice President and President of Restaurants, NCR Voyix

In 2026, technological advancements in the restaurant industry will continue to reshape how brands engage guests, orchestrate operations, and drive growth. This spans every segment, from quick service and fine dining, to casual eateries and high-volume entertainment venues. Central to it all is the widespread adoption of intelligent point-of-sale (POS) ecosystems, embedded AI capabilities, and flexible, modular platforms.  

The proliferation of real-time and sensitive data demands robust governance and hybrid cloud-edge architectures. Flexible, open technology stacks will enable both speed and innovation.

The rise of unified, omnichannel POS solutions will bring new levels of flexibility for both operators and guests, integrating everything from on-premises dining to delivery, self-service, and digital engagement. Integrating digital transaction solutions can unlock opportunities for richer, more personalized experiences. These solutions leverage real-time data, predictive analytics, and AI-driven insights to inform menu development, targeted marketing, and operational efficiency at scale.  With automation extending into kitchens and back-of-house systems, supported by IoT, robotics, and advanced forecasting, restaurants are gaining operational advantages. This technology allows them to effectively balance consistency, food safety, and labor optimization.  

Looking forward, security and compliance will continue to be non-negotiables. The proliferation of real-time and sensitive data demands robust governance and hybrid cloud-edge architectures. Flexible, open technology stacks will enable both speed and innovation. They will also facilitate the native integration of loyalty programs and embedded, wallet-connected experiences. This cultivates deeper guest relationships and more precise engagement. Ultimately, restaurants that invest in intelligent, agentic workflows will empower both staff and guests with meaningful, frictionless experiences. These forward-thinking brands will define success, whether it be sustaining growth, brand loyalty, or operational excellence, in a rapidly transforming industry.

– Amber Trendell, Senior Director of Market Strategy, Oracle Restaurants 

From Hybrid Fleets to Intelligent Orchestration: Delivery 3.0 Arrives

2025 was the year restaurants mastered Delivery Management 2.0 – using AI to intelligently route orders between in-house drivers and third-party partners based on order value, distance, and capacity. In 2026, we'll see the early adopters of Delivery 3.0: adding autonomous vehicles, drones, and sidewalk robots to that mix. The winning play isn't replacing human drivers, it's intelligent orchestration across all delivery modes. Short-radius orders under a mile go to robots at a fraction of the cost. High-value orders stay with branded in-house drivers. Peak overflow still routes to third-party partners. The AI dispatch layer decides in real-time which method optimizes for speed, cost, and customer experience.

Pizza and fast-casual brands will lead this transition, as they have the order density, standardized packaging, and tech infrastructure to make autonomous delivery economics work. By year-end, expect to see at least three major chains operating true multi-modal fleets. The operators building intelligent dispatch systems today are creating the competitive moats of tomorrow.

– Alex Vasilkin, co-founder and CEO of Cartwheel  

  • Integration beats innovation in 2026. The flashiest voice AI features don't matter if the platform doesn't talk to your POS system. Restaurants will choose platforms that integrate seamlessly with their existing Toast, Square, or Olo setup over ones with impressive demos but integration headaches. Reliability and compatibility win over feature lists.

  • Voice AI solves the hidden cost of the staffing crisis: lost revenue from unanswered calls. Everyone talks about labor costs going up. But the bigger problem is revenue that never happens because phones go unanswered during rush. With skeleton crews, restaurants are missing 15-20 percent of inbound calls. That's lost revenue, not just high costs. Voice AI captures that revenue while your understaffed team focuses on the dining room. In 2026, operators will realize the ROI isn't just labor savings, it's revenue they were leaving on the table.

– Christian Wiens, CEO of Loman 

1. Tech-Stack Consolidation Will Accelerate

After years of fragmented “spot solutions” for POS, kitchen displays, and inventory management, 2026 will mark a major turning point toward unified restaurant technology ecosystems. Mergers like the Crunchtime – QSR Automations integration are just the beginning. Operators will increasingly seek centralized data and interoperable systems that simplify and streamline operations across the full food lifecycle to help manage costs and deliver great guest experiences. In a recent survey of 400 restaurant executives, conducted by Censuswide for MachineQ, half of the respondents (50 percent) said that centralized, real-time data across locations is critical for improving performance.

2. Restaurants Will Embrace New, Additional IoT Use Cases

The next wave of IoT adoption will move deeper into operations – tracking fryer oil quality to ensure it is replaced at the optimal time for food consistency, monitoring refrigerator and freezer compressor energy draw to predict maintenance needs, and automating appliances for off-peak energy efficiency. Expect “smart batching,” where devices like ice machines run at night to manage energy costs while ensuring daytime readiness.

3. Vision Intelligence Enters the Kitchen

AI-powered video analytics will become a quiet but powerful cost-management tool. Vision intelligence will monitor processes such as portioning, cash handling, and food prep accuracy, helping reduce waste, control costs, and maintain consistency without adding labor.

The technology’s focus will be precision and accountability, not surveillance.

4. Redundant Cloud Connectivity Becomes Non-Negotiable

Restaurants can no longer function offline. Following the recent outages by two major public cloud providers, restaurant chains will invest not only in multiple internet connections but also in multi-cloud redundancy to safeguard against outages. Minimizing downtime will become as vital to restaurant operations as refrigeration or electricity, as it is essential for transactions, ordering, and data-driven operations. In a recent Censuswide/MachineQ survey of 400 restaurant executives, 32 percent cited minimizing equipment downtime and ensuring reliability as a top operational challenge.

5. AI Lends a Helping Hand

Adopting intuitive, insight-driven technology will be key to helping restaurants address labor gaps and skills shortages. AI can’t take a burger off the grill, put it on a bun, and add all the toppings. But AI can understand temperature trends and help determine which time of year certain items will be in higher demand, so that products can be ordered and staged. AI won’t replace human jobs in 2026, but it will allow labor to operate more efficiently and do more with less. In a recent Censuswide/MachineQ survey of 400 restaurant executives, 38.75 percent of respondents are already investing in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and nearly 48 percent plan to adopt these technologies soon.

 – Tom Woodbury, a committee member with the Conference for Food Protection, and Restaurant Technology Lead at Comcast’s MachineQ.

The world has been shifting toward a more Asian profile and global spices like chai, tumeric, and cardamom. Bars need to become more ergonomic. This is a hard job, standing on your feet for hours without having to bend at the waist every time a drink gets made. Give their backs some rest!

– Chef Wrenn, Blinders: 

In 2026, restaurant marketing will shift toward serving two audiences: human guests and AI agents. With more diners relying on AI assistants to decide where to eat, restaurants will need to make their menus, reviews, and brand stories ‘agent-readable’ so they’re accurately recognized and recommended by non-human decision-makers.

Restaurant marketing will shift toward serving two audiences: human guests and AI agents.

At the same time, authenticity will matter more than ever. Diners are becoming increasingly skeptical of AI-generated content, so restaurants that pair AI efficiency with a strong human voice like real stories, real chefs, real hospitality will stand out.

The winners in 2026 will be the brands that blend technology with warmth: using AI to personalize outreach, predict demand, and streamline operations, while doubling down on human connection where it counts.

– George Yang, AI Adoption Strategist

The Transaction Era Is Over, Welcome to the Experience Economy

E-commerce won’t just be a digital transaction tool—it’ll become the heartbeat of guest engagement in 2026. For years, online ordering was a utility: a way to process payments and keep records secure. Next year will be the year we see brands evolve from that. E-commerce is transforming from a transaction engine into a martech powerhouse.

The brands that win will use ordering as a marketing channel to increase ticket sizes and brand loyalty. Think secret menus unlocked by loyalty tiers, gamified interfaces that make ordering fun, and dynamic offers tied to guest behaviors. This shift isn’t about convenience anymore—it’s about connection. Restaurants that turn every click into an experience will drive frequency, bigger checks, and deeper emotional ties. In 2026, ecommerce becomes the ultimate engagement tool.

– Joe Yetter, General Manager of PAR Engagement at PAR Technology