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As point-of-sale systems, marketing platforms, and inventory management all find their way to small and large restaurants, there’s a growing need for operators to simplify their technology, finds a new report from Qu Inc., a restaurant platform.
As part of its “2025 State of Digital Report,” Arlington, Va.-based Qu found that, when asked to prioritize their goals for 2024, 64% of restaurants cited technology and systems consolidation as a priority, followed by 58% targeting better online ordering strategies, and 55% wanting improved data orchestration and analytics. Technology consolidation is the top priority for both quick-serve and fast casual restaurants.
That desire for a consolidated view also was evident when asked how important a unified payments view is, with 48% saying it is extremely important and 39% saying somewhat important. Only 13% say it is not so important.
“In the rush to ‘go digital,’ many brands built their tech stacks like a Jenga tower—unstable, ready to topple and blocking innovation,” Amir Hudda, Qu chief executive, says in a statement. “With digital-sales growth now stabilizing, restaurants must focus on dismantling these disconnected, legacy systems and adopting more modern, flexible approaches.” Among Qu’s customers are Jack in the Box, Taco John’s, and Blaze Pizza.
The report also finds that digital sales growth is leveling off, rising 4% over the past three years. “This signals a shift from chasing volume to refining operations, balancing on-premises and off-premises channels and using data to build sustainable, long-term profits,” Qu says.
Qu says 170 U.S fast casual and quick-serve brands participated in the survey representing 85,000 locations.
In related news, Meal Ticket, a Boise, Idaho-based business-management services firm for the foodservice industry, released its Meal Ticket Foodservice Network.
This new service includes rebate management, cost management, integrated payments, and a way for distributors to connect with their customers.
The payments module, called Meal Ticket Payments, includes support for automated clearing house and credit card payments. For restaurant operators, the service enables them to pay distributors with flexible payment options, such as with no-fee ACH payments. For distributors, Meal Ticket says it’s a “cost-free” channel to receive payments.
