Data-Driven Decisions: Restaurant Tech Leaders React to Key Findings from HT’s 2025 Study

Cautious Optimism in 2025 Tech Budgets

While initially surprised by this data, Naumann discussed how the economy – and especially inflation and tariffs – are likely to blame for a large portion of technology budgets remaining unchanged in 2025. 

“As we go to restaurant operators, we’re going to need to justify every dollar spent to make sure they’re getting ROI and the best value from those investments,” he noted.

Drapeau agreed, noting that this data implies that operators are going to “have to be very strategic with their spending” and there likely will be a lull in trailblazers and the implementation of “bleeding edge technologies.” 

Trendell, on the other hand, mentioned that even a tight or flat budget could be an opportunity for operators. How so? Now is the time for operators to become “really fiscally responsible” by taking a hard look at the technology they’re currently using and divesting the technologies that aren’t providing a meaningful return on investment. 

Driving Value: The Top Goals Behind Tech Investments

The conversation shifted to strategic priorities, and panelists agreed that customer engagement tops the list for a reason.

Shetty pointed to the rise of takeout and third-party delivery as reasons why restaurants must reconnect with their customers through digital channels and data. 

“It used to be just 5% of the business; now it’s closer to 30%. We’ve lost that direct relationship,” he explained.

For Trendell, it’s no surprise that most restaurants said their top strategic goal in 2025 was to improve digital customer engagement. For her, this really means creating authentic loyalty engagement that isn’t transactional but is experiential. 

“Restaurants need to find ways to engage and reward customers without eroding margins, think a sneak peek at the Spring menu or the opportunity to vote on a new menu item. Engaging with consumers in this way improves customer engagement and reduces the cost of your loyalty program,” she explained.

When restaurants can build a better relationship with their customers, there’s a better chance that they will inspire them to purchase from the restaurant directly rather than through third-party apps, Naumann added. This becomes immensely valuable, because the restaurant now has access to that customer data rather than the deliver services. 

IT Departments Grapple with Legacy Systems and Talent Shortages

As the discussion turned to operational hurdles, the panelists addressed some of the biggest pain points restaurant IT departments are facing in 2025.

It’s no surprise to Drapeau that lack of skilled technology resources is a top challenge for restaurant IT departments.

“With all the cutbacks and layoffs, with the contraction in the industry, the cracks in the foundation are starting to get exposed. I believe that will become even more of a challenge for restaurants moving forward,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Shetty discussed how measuring ROI remains a challenge for IT departments. He emphasized that restaurants should focus on their core strengths—delivering great dining experiences—while relying on strategic technology partnerships to maximize ROI. Many IT investments struggle to secure funding because ROI isn’t always framed in terms that resonate with decision-makers. While fixing operational inefficiencies may not immediately capture a CFO’s attention, demonstrating how technology enhances the overall guest experience and drives revenue growth can create an “aha moment” that justifies the investment. The key is aligning technology adoption with business outcomes rather than just the technology itself.

Exploring Generative AI’s Potential

With generative AI continuing to grab headlines, panelists shared their thoughts on where this emerging tech can have the biggest impact.

While using generative AI to improve customer service is “a no brainer at this point,” Trendell pointed out that if the AI experience falls short for the customer, there is a direct negative correlation to traffic. Operators then need to ensure that the AI their using is not only accurate but can detect sentiment.

“Detecting sentiment is a massive differentiator between natural language processing and where we’re at with multimodal generative AI. It’s just night and day in terms of the experience,” she added.

According to Shetty, using AI well also means empowering team members by optimizing their workflow – by having AI take over job processes that don’t require a human touch – so that the staff doesn’t have to perform menial tasks and can instead spend more time interacting with the customer.

“They’ll be in a better mood, they’ll do their job better and the customer will pick up on that and want to come back.” 

Similarly, using AI for training materials is an exciting development, says Drapeau. 

“Inputting training information, creating realistic environments, and allowing new hires to interact with and train in that virtual environment first – before throwing them into the fire – could play a significant role in helping restaurants retain staff when turnover rates are so high.”

Final Thoughts: Strategic Partnerships and Infrastructure Matter More Than Ever

As the session wrapped, each panelist offered a parting thought for operators navigating 2025’s technology landscape.

According to Shetty, brands are operating during a time where there is quite a bit of change and “unknown” surrounding them. This understandably makes technology leaders hesitant to invest in something that may not deliver the ROI they need. But he encouraged operators to embrace tools that will ultimately allow staff members to remain focused on what makes the brand special: great food and great customer services. 

Naumann pointed out that restaurants continue to deploy new devices within their locations and now they’re layering AI on top of that.

“The amount of bandwidth and compute power each restaurant location is going to need is just continuing to grow. So make sure you ensure there is a fast, reliable, and secure network to be the foundation for all of these new technologies you’re deploying.”

Drapeau recommended that operators be really strategic when it comes to making technology implementation decisions and to not be afraid to push on their vendors for help.

“You don’t need to do this alone,” he added. “Find a vendor with a proven track record, ask a lot of questions, use an RFP, and you’ll be alright.”