Technology’s role in the restaurant industry has rapidly evolved beyond simply boosting sales through third-party apps and digital ordering. In 2024, 73 percent of restaurant operators increased their tech investments—the highest rate of digital adoption in the industry’s history, according to the National Restaurant Association. With operators facing rising costs, shifting consumer habits, and staffing challenges, technology is now being used to solve core operational issues rather than just drive revenue.
With this technology comes an opportunity to tackle the five key pain points that restaurant operators face daily: driving traffic, increasing check size, improving training, managing the cost of goods, and enhancing operational efficiency.
In my experience, each of these pain points can be eliminated by four wins. When we win with our guests by meeting their unique expectations, support our franchisees with transparency and continuous improvement, and collaborate with suppliers to drive growth, we ultimately earn a win for the brand. Build the right ecosystem, and success will follow for everyone.
The tools discussed in this article go a long way toward helping operators earn those wins from each of their stakeholders.
Pain Point #1: Traffic
Driving consistent foot traffic is not a new obstacle for restaurants, but it’s becoming increasingly challenging as consumer dining habits shift. A Q4 consumer survey from Revenue Management Solutions revealed that 42 percent of respondents are dining at fast-casual restaurants less often. As traffic slows, restaurants must find new ways to engage their guests and keep them coming back.
Loyalty programs and personalized marketing powered by new AI solutions can make a significant impact. Platforms like Thanx leverage data to tailor promotions, reward repeat visits and create more meaningful interactions with guests who have expressed an interest in a brand’s product. Rather than relying on broad, one-size-fits-all discounts, AI-driven ordering systems and personalized marketing platforms help restaurants target the right guests with the right offers at the right time—encouraging return visits and long-term loyalty.
Pain Point #2: Check Size
As a franchisor, I’m often faced with the question, “How can we increase revenue without adding operational complexity or compromising the guest experience?”
At Big Chicken, we’ve found that self-serve kiosks, such as the ones that we recently implemented in partnership with Bite, offer a scalable solution, leveraging data-driven upselling techniques to boost check size while streamlining service.
Unlike human cashiers, kiosks never miss an opportunity to suggest add-ons—whether it’s fries, a drink, or a premium combo—helping operators capture incremental sales without pressuring staff. Menu item customization also plays a crucial role, with some brands incorporating exclusive menu features or gamified elements to enhance engagement and encourage higher-value purchases. While many brands may be concerned with losing elements of hospitality that are core to their dining experience, I challenged our team and the team over at Bite to find a way to bring the BIG Fun of Big Chicken into the user experience. Guests who opt to order at a kiosk may find a surprise Shaquille cameo or two, depending on how they interact with our menu.
Figure 8 is another tool for optimizing a restaurant’s revenue channels. The platform works with various Delivery Service Providers (or DSPs) like Uber Eats, DoorDash and ezCater and uses their Delivery Cycle to analyze digital operations, develop a roadmap, and implement changes. Their team is instrumental in helping our franchisees navigate the digital landscape and correctly position themselves in the competitive third-party ordering space.
Pain Point #3: Training
As an industry, we’re failing to train our team members in the format that they respond best to. It’s evident in high turnover rates, and restaurant employee engagement is at its lowest in a decade—Gallup reports that only 31 percent of U.S. employees felt engaged in 2024. To retain employees, businesses must provide clear expectations and opportunities for development, making engaging and effective training more critical than ever.
One way that we are tackling this issue at Big Chicken is by integrating mobile-first learning platforms like Opus, which provide interactive, on-demand training that fits into employees’ daily routines. Gamified apps and bite-sized training modules help Gen Z employees stay engaged, while centralized knowledge-sharing systems ensure that every team member receives consistent guidance—whether they’re onboarding at a new location or learning about updated menu procedures.
Pain Point #4: Cost of Goods
Restaurant operators are constantly juggling the challenge of maintaining profitability while delivering top-quality food and service. Inefficient inventory management can quickly eat into margins, making cost control crucial.
With tools such as PAR OPS, operators gain a competitive edge. These tools centralize inventory and labor management across multiple locations, offering real-time data and predictive analytics to spot usage trends, cut down on waste, and streamline ordering—all of which positively impact the bottom line for our franchisees.
Pain Point #5: Operational Efficiency
It’s no secret that managing day-to-day operations while keeping costs in check is a delicate balancing act for most restaurant operators. Unexpected tech issues—like POS malfunctions, internet outages, or online ordering disruptions—can quickly snowball into lost revenue and frustrated guests.
Automation tools like Science on Call provide a scalable solution by offering 24/7 tech support that rapidly triages and resolves issues across POS systems, internet, Wi-Fi, online ordering, and more. Instead of general managers scrambling to troubleshoot technology malfunctions during peak hours, restaurants can rely on automated diagnostics and expert assistance just a text or call away.
As restaurant challenges evolve, so do the opportunities to overcome them. Operators who embrace technology to streamline operations, elevate guest experiences, and boost profitability will build stronger, more resilient businesses poised for long-term success.
If you can tackle the five biggest pain points in restaurants, you set yourself up for four BIG wins—winning with your guests, your franchisees, and your suppliers, which all add up to the ultimate win: a stronger, more resilient brand. Nail that, and success is inevitable.
CEO of Shaquille O’Neal-backed Big Chicken, Josh Halpern is a proven growth strategist who has accelerated brands within the restaurant and retail sectors for Anheuser-Busch InBev, Clorox, P&G and other Fortune 500 companies. Halpern is at the helm of the Big Chicken franchising initiative, working closely with O’Neal and Big Chicken’s ownership group representatives to expand the brand’s presence with more than 350 locations in the development pipeline less than five years after the brand’s founding.
