Restaurant Predictions & Strategies from Paytronix
Meet the Experts
- Digger McElligott, VP Sales, Paytronix
- Tom Kaiser, independent restaurant journalist, former editor of Food On Demand.
As one of the highest profile restaurant tech firms in the space, Paytronix provides customer engagement and loyalty solutions, personalized marketing campaigns, mobile payments and the ability to track customer behavior to provide better, more modern experiences for customers regardless of ordering channel.
In a live MURTalk on the exhibit hall’s Solution Stage at MURTEC 2025: Experience Matters, Paytronix VP of Sales Digger McElligott shared his biggest predictions for the year ahead—and why catering, data, and personalization should be on every restaurant leader’s strategic radar.
Data-Powered Personalization Is the Future of Guest Engagement
McElligott emphasized that the brands winning in 2025 and beyond will be those that treat each customer like a VIP—regardless of channel.
“Customers dine in many ways—drive-thru, kiosk, online, catering. The key is to unify that customer dataand use it to personalize their experience,” McElligott said. “This is how we increase lifetime customer value.”
With Paytronix, that means helping restaurants build a complete picture of customer behavior across touchpoints, then applying that data to fuel loyalty, marketing, and seamless ordering experiences.
The Tech Stack Isn’t Set-and-Forget
Paytronix is well-known for its holistic approach to customer engagement technology, providing loyalty programs, mobile payments, analytics, and personalized marketing under one roof. But McElligott was clear: no matter what vendors a brand works with, strategy is just as important as software.
“Your partner should be an extension of your tech and marketing teams,” McElligott said. “You need more than a platform—you need service, flexibility, and real partnership.”
He noted that while some brands prefer an all-in-one stack, others thrive by choosing best-in-breed solutions that integrate well together. Either way, integration and communication between vendors are essential—and operators should challenge their tech partners to surface not just headline metrics, but hidden opportunities to boost performance.
“Brands are investing in CDP and CRM platforms to better understand customer preferences and personalize their experiences,” McElligott said. “The tools are evolving fast, and integration is critical.”
Catering Isn’t Just Back—It’s Evolving
Gone are the days when “catering” was synonymous with weddings, graduations, and holiday parties. Today’s catering orders span a range of needs: corporate lunches for 20, baseball tournaments, weekend family feasts. McElligott noted that brands are seeing up to 32% increases in catering revenue when they make the experience intuitive and streamlined.
“Sometimes a brand just lists a phone number for catering—that’s a lost opportunity,” McElligott said. “Guests want simple, guided ordering. How many people? What do they need? Keep them informed.”
His top advice: Whether you use a third-party service or a white-labele solution on your own site, own the catering experience and make it frictionless for guests. And don’t underestimate the importance of informing your customer base about your catering options in the first place.
Key Takeaways for Restaurant Tech Leaders
- Personalization is non-negotiable. Unified guest data across all channels drives better experiences and long-term value.
- A tech partner is more than a platform. Expect strategic collaboration and ongoing service, not just software.
- Loyalty is leveling up. Advanced CRM tactics are helping brands build deeper guest relationships.
- Catering growth is real, but requires ease, clarity, and control. Make it simple and own the experience.
- Focus on strategic simplicity. Avoid tech bloat by selecting solutions that work together and reduce operational complexity.