Technology is no longer optional in the restaurant industry—it’s essential. From loyalty apps to AI forecasting, successful brands are using digital tools not just to automate tasks, but to deepen relationships with guests and optimize operations. Based on Nation’s Restaurant News’s recent feature on six forward-thinking restaurant brands, here’s a breakdown of what they’re doing right—and how you can follow suit. Nation’s Restaurant News. So here’s your 6 Game-Changing Restaurant Technology Trends from Top Brands in 2025
How Leading Brands Are Embracing Restaurant Technology Trends
The following restaurant brands were spotlighted in the Nation’s Restaurant News article. Each one is using technology in unique ways to improve operations, guest experience, and profitability:
- Panera Bread – Known for its personalization-driven loyalty programs and tech-forward ordering system.
- Long John Silver’s – Investing in core system upgrades like kiosks and forecasting tools.
- Blaze Pizza – Enhancing the digital guest journey with real-time order tracking and multi-channel ordering.
- The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill – Leveraging digital order data to improve guest understanding and marketing.
- Church’s Texas Chicken – Focusing on AI-driven drive-thru tech, operations manuals, and predictive production.
- Dine Brands Global – The parent company of IHOP and Applebee’s, embracing AI for upselling and digital channel ownership.
Here are some of their technology strategies:
Key Restaurant Technology Trends and Innovations in 2024
1. Restaurant Technology Trends in Personalization: How Panera Uses AI and Data
- Using AI & predictive analytics to personalize guest communications (e.g. custom subject lines based on guest behavior). Nation’s Restaurant News
- Using data to quickly respond to cultural moments (Panera’s “Loaf Story Meal” launched in response to a trending item on social media). Nation’s Restaurant News
- Applying AI in operations like inventory management and optimizing the order sequencing process. Nation’s Restaurant News
2. Restaurant Technology Trends in POS and Forecasting: Lessons from Long John Silver’s
- New POS, mobile app, and forecasting tools to help with staffing and prep. Nation’s Restaurant News
- Introducing kiosks (even with early resistance) which often lead to larger check sizes. Nation’s Restaurant News
3. Restaurant Technology Trends That Improve Guest Experience: Blaze Pizza’s Approach
- Enhancing kitchen display systems (KDS) that communicate with guests (e.g. text alerts when orders are ready) to improve quality and reduce wait times. Nation’s Restaurant News
- Exploring multiple ordering channels like QR, kiosk, digital, so guests can pick how they prefer to order. Nation’s Restaurant News
4. Using Digital Orders to Understand Guests Better (Great Greek Mediterranean Grill)
- Deep dives into the data from digital orders: who the guests are, what they order, where they came from, etc. Nation’s Restaurant News
- Expanding delivery, both third-party and native, and integrating loyalty programs. Nation’s Restaurant News
5. Operational Efficiencies & Core Tech (Church’s Texas Chicken)
- Optimizing the drive-thru with timers. Improving product projection (“how much to cook and when”) to minimize waste and speed service. Nation’s Restaurant News
- Implementing AI throughout restaurant operations (drive-thru, kitchen) and digitizing operations manuals, making them searchable. Nation’s Restaurant News
6. Ownership of Native Channels & AI-Driven Upsells (Dine Brands)
- Doubling down on their own app/web platforms (for Applebee’s, IHOP, etc.), rather than relying solely on third-party platforms. Nation’s Restaurant News
- Using AI recommendation engines to suggest add-ons at checkout, which has increased check size. Nation’s Restaurant News
- Creating internal innovation labs (“AI Innovation Foundry”) to test, learn, iterate. Nation’s Restaurant News
What These Strategies Achieve
From the examples above, we can see key outcomes:
- Improved customer experience & loyalty, because tech lets you meet guests where they are (app/web, kiosks, native delivery).
- Operational efficiency and speed, especially in labor, inventory, production flow. Reducing friction, waste, misunderstandings.
- Higher average check sizes, via recommendation engines and upselling.
- Stronger data insight—knowing more about who your guests are, what they want, when, how, which helps with both marketing and operations.
- More flexibility & resilience, being able to pivot (e.g. increasing digital orders, third-party vs. in-house delivery) as market demands shift.
How to Apply These Restaurant Technology Trends to Your Business
If you run a restaurant, chain, or hospitality business and you’re thinking “How can I follow these brands’ footsteps?”, here are actionable lessons:
- Start with Your Data Infrastructure
Build or strengthen your foundation: guest loyalty programs, POS, order systems—so that you collect and clean data. You can’t personalize or optimize without good data. - Prioritize Tech That Directly Impacts Guest Experience
QR ordering, kiosks, digital order alerts, timely communication—small touches that solve real pain points. - Invest in Labor & Inventory Forecasting Tools
As seen with Long John Silver’s and Church’s, tools that tell you how many people to schedule or how much food to prep can save costs and avoid overburdening staff. - Use AI Not Just for Buzz, But for Use Cases
AI for prediction, personalization, recommendations, and operations can add real value—but only if there’s a clear use case, measurement, and iteration. - Balance Technology with Human Touch
Technology should empower people, not replace human interaction. Use it to free up staff for better guest interaction rather than just cost-cutting. - Test, Pilot, Iterate
Don’t try to do it all at once. Brands piloted kiosks or loyalty features, observed reactions, took adjustments. This iterative mindset matters. - Own Your Channels Where Possible
Relying less on third-party platforms for delivery/orders means more control over guest experience, more data, better margins. Invest in app/website platforms and loyalty.
Potential Challenges & How to Overcome Them
- Employee Resistance: Some staff may fear that automation/kiosks etc. reduce job security. Brands must manage change with training, communication. (Long John Silver’s experienced this.) Nation’s Restaurant News
- Upfront Costs: New POS, kiosk hardware, data systems, etc., are not cheap. Look at ROI, start small, pilot before full rollout.
- Guest Adoption: Some guests may be slow to change or resist self-ordering; there can be backlash or confusion. Allow multiple ordering channels so guests can choose.
- Data Privacy: Collecting guest data comes with responsibility. Make sure you’re following data protection/regulations and building trust.
- Technological Integration: Ensuring all systems (POS, loyalty, inventory, forecasting) talk to each other can be complex. Prioritize systems compatibility, perhaps build or hire integrative expertise.
Looking Forward—What’s Next in Restaurant Tech
- Voice and Video AI: Brands (like The Great Greek) are starting to explore using cameras or voice recognition to monitor service, guest satisfaction, or service standards.
- Robotics & Automation for food prep and repetitive tasks to reduce labor stress and improve consistency.
- App-less & Cash-Friendly Loyalty: Making loyalty usable even for customers who don’t download apps or use cash—a more inclusive approach. (Church’s is exploring this.) Nation’s Restaurant News
- Predictive Maintenance & Energy Efficiency: Though not all brands discussed this yet, we should expect more tech to address sustainability, waste, and operational cost control.
Final Thoughts on Adopting Restaurant Technology Trends in 2024
Restaurants that treat technology as just a cost center are falling behind. The real winners are treating tech as a way to enhance every touchpoint—guest experience, staff satisfaction, operational efficiency—and being intentional about what they adopt, test, and scale.
If you’re looking to modernize or scale your restaurant brand, think strategically: start where tech helps your biggest pain points, iterate with feedback, and don’t lose the human connection in the process.
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