Report: Winning in the Restaurant Business Through Direct Ordering and Smarter Technology

Based on data from 170 brands across 85,000 locations, the 2025 State of Digital Report by Qu highlights critical insights for operators in the fast-casual and quick-service restaurant (QSR) sectors. The report underscores the growing shift in the restaurant industry towards first-party sales, tech stack consolidation, and data-driven personalization to fuel growth.

The report reveals that restaurants relying on disjointed, third-party ordering platforms face hidden challenges that erode profits and complicate operations. These challenges make it difficult to meet guest expectations and accurately predict performance. By centralizing systems and transitioning to direct ordering, operators can eliminate the confusion caused by multiple ordering channels, third-party marketplaces, and fragmented tech providers.

This shift towards first-party ordering isn't merely about reducing costs but also about owning the guest experience, fostering genuine loyalty, and facilitating sustainable growth that enhances corporate and franchise value. A key finding of the report is that 40% of brands see first-party digital sales as their most significant potential for revenue growth in 2025.

Another trend identified in the report is consolidating tech systems. Sixty-four percent of brands are simplifying their tech stack, transitioning to unified systems to cut costs and retire tech debt while aligning their underlying data infrastructure and models. This streamlining process frees up resources for growth and accelerates access to richer data insights, which are critical for operational efficiency and AI-powered innovation.

The report also highlights the importance of data-driven personalization in engaging guests. According to Paytronix, loyalty program participation is currently low, with around 85% of guests unreachable through traditional programs. Consequently, operators are shifting their investments, with spending on loyalty programs dropping 8% year over year, while investments in guest data platforms have increased by 11%.

The Qu report points out that brands' success in 2025 will largely depend on how effectively they unify and activate their data. Restaurants that create a connected technology ecosystem that efficiently centralizes and unifies their data—integrating first-party channels, AI-driven insights, and operational tech—will secure a lasting competitive edge.

Finally, the report indicates that digital sales have plateaued after years of rapid growth, increasing by just 4% over the past three years. This suggests a shift from chasing volume to refining operations, balancing on-premises and off-premises channels, and using data to build sustainable, long-term profits.