NRA 2025: Key Takeaways From the Restaurant Technology Network
The show floors buzzed at the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show — and not just from the usual sizzle of new product demos and giveaways, but from a noticeable shift in tone where technology is concerned. Less "what’s cool," more "what actually works."
Afterhours, our Restaurant Technology Network happy hour buzzed too. As restaurant technology has moved from “nice-to-have” to “must-have,” the stakes are higher than ever for operators looking to technology implementations for strategic advantage. With that in mind, we turned to some key RTN contributors and asked them to share what stood out at this year’s show — and what they believe restaurant leaders should be thinking about as they chart their next moves.
Courtney Radke, Vice President, Innovation, SageNet
“My key takeaway from this year's National Restaurant Show is that FINALLY technology investments in restaurants aren’t being viewed as optional — it’s foundational,” notes Courtney Radke, Vice President, Innovation, SageNet. “It shapes every guest experience, every operational process, and every competitive edge. It’s exciting to see the industry finally leaning into this mindset.”
That doesn’t mean every brand is doing it right. “Emerging restaurant brands seem to get it: build your technology right from day one, and you avoid the pain of costly retrofits later. Investing early in robust networks and digital platforms positions you for agility and growth—exactly what new brands need to thrive.”
Established brands, on the other hand, often misjudge the cost of delay. “It’s easy to chase the shiny new object, but without a strong network backbone, all those shiny objects can quickly lose their luster,” Radke said. “What they perceived as 1–2 years behind is now 5... and more expensive to catch up every day.”
He also pointed to meaningful progress in closing the digital divide. “Technology is bridging the gap for restaurants operating in digital deserts—those areas lacking reliable connectivity—have struggled far too long. Now, solutions like Starlink, private 5G, and CBRS are becoming accessible, affordable options that truly democratize connectivity.”
Christopher Sebes, Partner & Board Member, Results Thru Strategy
For Christopher Sebes, Partner & Board Member, Results Thru Strategy, a longtime observer and shaper of restaurant tech trends, the sheer volume of new POS platforms was hard to ignore. “Another profusion of inevitably short-lived new POS solutions. I think I saw seven that I had neither seen nor heard of before the show.”
But he wasn’t all skepticism. Voice-driven interfaces are no longer vaporware. “VoiceAI for drive-thru, call-in orders, and reservations is becoming mainstream, and getting better very quickly.”
He also noted a clear shift in competitive dynamics. “Toast is clearly an enterprise competitor today, and if I still had my POS company, I would be worried.”
Tech Takeaways for Restaurants
The message from NRA 2025 is clear. Operators must prioritize:
- Network resilience and connectivity as a foundation, not an afterthought
- Embedded analytics and automation that provide clarity, not complexity
- Vendor flexibility to avoid getting trapped in single-function solutions
- Strategic partnerships that open new categories of monitoring and control
- Sustainability wins that tie to real operational and financial outcomes
For leaders across the restaurant landscape, the future isn’t about catching the next trend — it’s about making sure your infrastructure is ready to support it.
Jake Simon, Co-Founder, ConnectedFresh
“Demand for real-time food-safety monitoring exploded — operators loved seeing automated cool-down logs in action on the show floor, and some health inspectors were blown away that this exists,” says Jake Simon, Co-Founder, ConnectedFresh.
He emphasizes that “integrations remain a hot potato — avoid heavy IT jargon; frame everything as plug-and-play connectors that just work.”
Technology once considered niche is now scaling. “LoRaWAN (radio frequency tech) is no longer niche — attendees showed serious interest in low-power, multi-site wireless gateways for large and small operations alike.”
Credibility, Simon notes, now hinges on partnerships. “Our collaborations across food safety compliance and corrective action systems, facility and work order management systems, BI platforms, water quality companies, etc., sparked the most hallway conversations about expanding well beyond temperature into energy, water quality, and other monitoring.”
And automation? It’s now expected. “Audit-compliance automation is now table stakes — seeing instant audit logs (vs. manual entries) was a huge ‘aha’ for operators under pressure from leadership.”
Other key takeaways: “Simplicity wins—demos that highlighted tool-free install and intuitive dashboards gathered the biggest interest and follow-up questions,” Simon said. “Operators want insights, not data dumps — the trend toward embedded analytics and actionable alerts continues to accelerate.”
And sustainability? It’s not just an ESG checkbox anymore. “Energy-savings and waste-reduction features piqued interest, especially in chains looking to hit corporate ESG targets and just simply operate better in the process.”
