In 2024, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Technology Landscape Report noted that 76% of operators who have embraced technology feel it gives them a distinct edge over their competitors.
Now, in 2025, it’s never been more important for restaurant owners and operators to be able to adapt to these advancements. Of course, to make the most of adopting these new tools and technologies, you have to make sure they’re integrated in such a way that aligns with the unique demands of your establishment.
In this article, we’ll explore three key applications of restaurant technology in 2025 and how to implement them effectively, regardless of your business.
Self-Ordering Solutions
Self-order kiosks and other ordering systems are designed to address one of the restaurant industry’s most persistent challenges: the demand for speed, convenience, and a personalized experience.
A recent study revealed that 60% of adults prefer ordering through a tablet at the table, and 65% feel the same way about paying their bills.
For you as a restaurant owner, knowing the right type of self-ordering technology for your needs is key.
Types of Self-Ordering Solutions:
- Self-order Kiosks: Stationary kiosks that allow customers to browse menus and complete purchases without interacting with a server.
- Tabletop Tablets: Devices placed directly at the table for customers to place orders and pay the bill.
- Mobile Ordering Apps: Smartphone apps that let customers order and pay from their devices for dine-in or takeout.
- QR Code Ordering: QR codes on tables or menus that direct customers to an online ordering system for a contactless experience.
How to Implementing Self-Ordering Solutions
- Evaluate Your Needs: Assess your restaurant’s size, customer base, and service style to determine which self-ordering systems best suit your environment. From here, you can choose a solution that aligns with your business goals.
- Integrate with Your POS: Make sure your chosen system can integrate with your current POS for real-time order tracking and transaction management.
- Train Your Staff: Equip your team with the knowledge they need to use your new solutions.
- Promote the New Experience: Encourage customers to use your new ordering tools.
- Monitor and Optimize: Regularly review the performance of your self-ordering system and use customer feedback to improve the experience.
Advanced POS Systems
Point-of-sale (POS) systems have come quite a way in the past decade.
We can now use them to manage orders, process payments, track inventory, and gather real-time data so that we can make more informed decisions in the long run.
Some of the ways in which these systems help restaurant owners include:
- Strategic Pricing Planning: Analyzing customer purchasing patterns, competitive pricing, and market conditions.
- Improved Demand Prediction for Inventory Management: Evaluating historical data and predicting future trends to help maintain proper inventory levels and reduce waste.
- Efficient Resource Allocation and Financial Planning: Identifying staffing needs and allocating resources efficiently to minimizelabor costs.
SmartTab was a big innovator in this field. The company introduced a complete AI ecosystem back in 2014, which included a POS system, customer application, and AI-driven analytics, all with demand forecasting at its core.
Step-by-Step Integration of Advanced POS Systems:
- Design Your POS Architecture: Start by defining the structure of your POS system by considering the scale of your operations and the complexity of your menu and services. If you plan on scaling eventually, make sure that architecture allows for it.
- Develop Key Features You Need: Identify the specific features that will benefit your restaurant, such as customizable order screens, integrated payment processing, or loyalty programs, or real-time reporting tools.
- Implement Advanced AI Features: AI-powered functionalities like demand forecasting, pricing optimization, and inventory management can be integrated, and the data collected from them can offer actionable insights.
Restaurant AI Ordering Systems
On average, quick-service restaurants may receive 50-75 phone calls per day. Unfortunately, around 150 of those calls go unanswered each month, which can mean thousands of dollars in losses over the course of a year.
There are many reasons why calls go unanswered. Employees may struggle to balance taking calls with other duties, or if wait times are long enough, many customers will seek alternatives. This is especially true during peak hours or high-demand periods.
However, with AI-driven restaurant ordering systems, no calls go unanswered, meaning the staff can focus on their workload while your restaurant takes advantage of its full financial potential.
There are many benefits of AI ordering systems, including 24/7 availability, better efficiency during peak hours, increased accuracy, and a more convenient customer experience.
How AI Ordering is Changing in 2025
There are several groundbreaking technologies used in modern AI ordering systems, such as:
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): This helps AI understand and interpret human speech, so customers can place orders or ask questions in a natural, conversational tone.
- Conversational AI Development: Some AI solutions take NLP a step further by offering real-time, human-like interactions. These are great for more complex orders or modifications.
- Machine Learning (ML): ML algorithms allow AI systems to learn from customer interactions and continuously improve their responses and recommendations over time.
How to Implement AI Ordering Systems:
- Evaluate Your Restaurant’s Needs: As always, start by identifying the volume and types of calls you receive most often to understand where AI can provide the most value.
- Choose the Right AI Solution: Find an AI-powered ordering system that integrates well with your restaurant’s POS and order management systems. We recommend looking for platforms with NLP capabilities.
- Train the AI System: Customize your AI’s responses to match your restaurant’s tone and style. To ensure the system can handle typical scenarios, you can include FAQs, menu items, and common customer requests.
- Integrate with Your POS and Kitchen Systems: Make sure it integrates with your POS and kitchen display systems for real-time order tracking.
- Test and Optimize: Test how well it handles calls before launching it. Gather customer and staff feedback to identify areas for improvement.
Taking Advantage of New Innovations Today with EMERGING
As we look ahead to 2025, technology offers tremendous opportunities for restaurant businesses to improve.
Here at EMERGING, our combined expertise in restaurant tech and strategic growth has helped hundreds of restaurant owners and operators implement these solutions.
So, what technologies are in store for your restaurant in 2025? With our extensive network, mentorship, and partnerships with industry leaders like Buyers Edge Platform and Emerging Concepts, we can help you determine what kinds of tools and support work for your establishment. Get in touch with us today to learn more.
