Operators Double Down on Profitability, Tech, and Guest Experience

In response to ongoing struggles with labor, inflation, and marketing, restaurant operators are making strategic investments to improve efficiency and guest experiences. Data from Toast’s 2025 Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey reveals that 40 percent of restaurant operators list improving profitability as their top goal for the coming year and 25 percent anticipate expansion.

Restaurateurs are feeling optimistic despite the challenges restaurants face because resilience is in their DNA, Kelly Esten, CMO at Toast observed.

“Operators have a certain grit and a confidence born from experience and must inherently be scrappy and adaptable in order to succeed. So, when our data shows that one in four are still planning to expand, it's not surprising. They're not just surviving; they're looking for opportunities to grow. It’s a testament to the passion for hospitality that drives them.”

Toast surveyed 712 U.S.-based restaurant decision-makers between April 18  and May 13, 2025, to hear directly from them about their challenges, priorities, and future plans. Respondents included a mix of both full-service and QSRs.

Among the other findings: 

• Operators ranked inflation (20 percent), marketing (16 percent), and sourcing/hiring (16 percent) as their top three business pain points.

• To protect their margins, nearly half of restaurants (48 percent) plan to increase menu prices if inflation continues to be a factor.

• With hiring difficulties, 47 percent of operators are focused on increasing staff efficiency to get ahead of the problem.

• Operators are optimistic about artificial intelligence, with 86 percent saying they feel comfortable using it and 81 percent planning to use it more in the futur

Esten said the report is a call to action for operators to focus on what they can control: profitability, efficiency, and the guest experience as well as a  a signal to embrace new technology, not as a replacement for their team, but as a tool to support them.

“Restaurant tech is no longer just about taking orders. It’s about building a more resilient business. As profitability becomes the primary goal for operators, they're investing in tools that do more than the basics. They need technology that provides an arsenal of solutions—streamlining operations, offering deep insights into performance, and ultimately helping their teams be more effective in the moments that matter most.”

While it’s not surprising inflation and labor are listed as challenges, restaurant operators also cite marketing as a significant area of frustration, but artificial intelligence is providing hope. Most operators are experts in hospitality, not marketing and reaching new customers is a full-time job, explained Esten. 

“They're short on time and resources, so it can often feel like a shot in the dark. That’s where AI can level the playing field. It’s not about replacing the human touch; it’s about giving them ‘superpowers’ to reach more guests. It’s human-boosting tech that automates campaigns and personalizes guest experiences so they can get back to doing what they love — hospitality.”

The report adds that if there’s a slowdown,operators plan to increase marketing (47 percent) and offer deals (46 percent), rather than reducing staff hours (19 percent) or headcount (17 percent).

“The most surprising thing in our survey was the industry's proactive stance on uncertainty,” said Esten. “They said they would double down on marketing and customer incentives. It’s a move that speaks to their commitment to their communities and their confidence in the value they provide. You have to invest in the guest experience.”