For years, the foodservice industry has asked: How has gender equity evolved—and what does that mean for restaurants? SynergySuite, a founding sponsor of Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL), partnered with QSR magazine to explore how gender impacts compensation, benefits, and negotiation for women in leadership roles.
Sara Davis, senior director of marketing at SynergySuite, and Cristal Craven, global director of Strategic Partnerships, share insights on the intersection of tech, foodservice, and gender equity—and where the industry is headed.
“SynergySuite has proudly supported WiRL since day one, because visibility matters,” Davis says. “We have talented women across our global teams—from UI/UX designers to product and marketing leaders—and we’re committed to continuing the conversation around equity in our industry.”
In 2025, WORTH (Women of Restaurants, Technology, and Hospitality), where Craven is a co-founder, alongside QSR magazine, conducted a study surveying nearly 100 women in foodservice leadership roles. The findings confirmed challenges in advancement and negotiation—but also highlighted progress. “We didn’t see the data out there specific to our industry, so we created it,” Craven says. “The results confirmed what we suspected, but also gave us hope. There’s still work to do, but women are doing better financially than many of us realized.”
The foodservice industry is one of the most diverse workforces in the U.S., with 60 percent of management roles held by women, according to the National Restaurant Association. However, while women and people of color make up much of the hourly and frontline workforce, representation drops significantly in executive roles. It’s a structural issue—but it’s also a leadership one. And leadership is evolving.
“As operators, we’re starting to rethink what effective leadership looks like,” Craven says. “It’s not just about being tough or working 80-hour weeks—it’s about building resilient teams, setting clear priorities, and having the tools to lead well.”
That’s where technology comes in—not as a diversity solution, but as an operational one. “One of the things I love about what we’re building here at SynergySuite is how we get to help real people,” Craven says. “The goal isn’t just automation—it’s empowerment. Our new AI-powered features, like smart forecasting and suggestive ordering, don’t just save time—they give back control and clarity to managers. That’s how we help bring balance back into foodservice leadership.”
Both tech and foodservice remain male-dominated at the top but offer lessons for each other.
“In restaurants, there are a lot more women—but they’re often not given the chance to advance,” Davis says. “I think the restaurant sector could learn from tech in terms of upward mobility. On the flip side, tech could learn from restaurants about people-first culture and hospitality.”
It’s easier not to challenge the status quo—but both industries are proving how much they can thrive by embracing diversity and equity.
“Everything we’re doing with our product is geared toward giving managers—men or women—the ability to have more balance in their lives, be more effective at their jobs, and focus on leadership and brand building,” Craven says. Ultimately, it’s about building better workplaces—for everyone.
For more information on SynergySuite’s advancements, visit synergysuite.com.
