New Industry Survey Examines How Restaurants Use AI and Data to Improve Profitability
12.10.2025
Starfleet Research has launched the Restaurant Intelligence & Operational Readiness Survey to capture how restaurants are using modern technology and data-driven tools to improve profitability, operational control, and decision-making in a more complex market.
The survey is open to restaurant professionals with direct insight into their organization's technology stack, financial visibility, and day-to-day operations. Responses are anonymous. Participants can opt to receive the final research report when it's published in January 2026.
What the survey covers
- Forecasting sales and labor across dayparts and locations
- Menu profitability analysis and engineering
- Managing food and labor costs, waste, and variance
- Predictive insights tied to weather and local events
- Using AI assistants for operational questions and frontline decisions
- Real-time cost intelligence and automated forecasting
- Measuring the impact of marketing and loyalty on repeat visits and guest spend
Why this matters for Operations
Costs are rising, demand is shifting, and competition is intensifying. Better data and faster feedback loops help operators staff accurately, cut waste, protect margins, and grow repeat visits.
AI-driven insights and real-time cost intelligence can flag issues before they hit the P&L. That means smarter prep, tighter schedules, cleaner inventory turns, and marketing that actually drives incremental traffic.
How the findings will be used
Insights from the survey will inform an independent research report produced by Starfleet Research, with underwriting support from Square. The report will be distributed through Restaurant Technology News, Restaurant News Resource, Restaurant News, and other leading industry publications.
Privacy, timeline, and giveback
All responses are anonymous. You may choose to receive the final report in January 2026.
As a thank-you-and to support sustainability-Starfleet Research will donate $5 per completed response to a leading nonprofit that funds certified climate projects and global reforestation initiatives. To date, Starfleet Research has supported more than 60 climate projects and contributed to the planting of over 900 trees.
How Operations leaders can prepare
- Identify the right respondent: GM, operations analyst, finance, or IT with visibility into systems and performance.
- Have baseline metrics handy: sales by daypart, labor targets, food cost variance, and top menu item margins.
- List your tools: POS, labor scheduler, inventory, demand forecasting, marketing and loyalty platforms.
- Clarify decisions you want AI to inform: staffing by shift, prep quantities, promo timing, and SKU rationalization.
If you're leveling up your team's AI skills for daily ops and decision support, explore curated options by role at Complete AI Training.
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