If you own or manage a restaurant, you already know the job is equal parts grit and grace. In an industry where margins are razor-thin and staffing headaches never take a holiday, it's passion - not spreadsheets - that keeps ovens hot and doors open.
A recent National Restaurant Association keynote called operators "the heartbeat of community life," noting that 16 million people choose this line of work precisely because it pairs creativity with service. And despite labor shortages, many restaurateurs are doubling down on paid leave, career paths and even housing assistance to nurture teams they consider family (Business Insider).
Technology was supposed to make that calling easier. Touch-screens replaced scribbled tickets; QR codes trimmed waitlists; third-party delivery opened new revenue streams.
Technology should help you plate great food and delight guests. Yet talk to operators and you'll hear a familiar refrain: some of the very tools meant to simplify the job have introduced surprise fees, confusion or both.
A 2024 Hospitality Technology survey found 72 percent of U.S. restaurants still wrestling with fragmented systems that don't talk to each other (Hospitality Technology).