Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2026

DATA CHECK

What Are the Biggest Challenges Your Operation Faces In Building Its Technology Stack?

Lack of staff to manage / integrate 32%

High cost for hardware 33%

Lack of knowledge 32%

Data silos among vendors 20%

Data silos among our staff 15%

Lack of cost transparency / high monthly fees 29%

Systems lack functionality 27%

Systems too dif cult to use 9%

Overwhelm 21%

Systems have functionality we don't use 17%

Base: All restaurant operators (n=408) Source: The 2026 Restaurant Technology Outlook Report, from Restaurant Business and Nation’s Restaurant News

Better data analysis strategies rose to the top when participants in the study were asked which would help them grow revenues most effectively. A third of all operators picked better data analysis as their best potential technology strategy for growing revenue, followed by approximately one in four who opted for adopting or expanding their use of AI (27% of all participants), or improving their digital loyalty programs (23%). The report authors noted that one of the biggest shifts in restaurant technology over the past few years has been the introduction of AI-powered tools for everything from forecasting to automated scheduling to menu analysis and more. But while buzz around these tools has reached a fever pitch, some operators have struggled to find where and how it fits in their business, the report noted. The report divided respondents into three groups: : AI Adopters (27%), who say they currently use AI in their businesses; the AI Curious (54%), who say they are not currently using AI but would like to; and the AI Avoidant (19%), who said they are not currently using AI and

Does Your Operation Currently Use Arti cial Intelligence (Ai) For Any Business Objectives?

Down from 28% last year

19% No, and we're NOT INTERESTED in adopting Al

Up from 21% last year

27% Yes

54% No, but we're INTERESTED in adopting Al

Base: All restaurant operators (n=409) Source: The 2026 Restaurant Technology Outlook Report, from Restaurant Business and Nation’s Restaurant News

have no plans to start. Compared to last year’s survey more operators have embraced AI, with the AI Adopter group up 6 percentage points from 21% a year ago, and the largest group, the AI Curious, up 3 percentage points year over year. The biggest shift came

at the other end of the spectrum. Those characterized as “AI avoidant” appear to be more receptive – the percentage of participants who said they are not using AI and do not plan to, fell 9 percentage points year over year, from 28% to 19% of operators.

10

AX NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2026