Operations

Restaurant AI adoption remains on the back burner

Photo: Deloitte

June 23, 2025

Although a majority of restaurant executives plan to increase their investments in artificial intelligence, adoption is slow going, according to a Deloitte report, "How AI is Revolutionizing Restaurants."

Eighty-two percent of restaurant executives surveyed intend to increase their AI investments in the next fiscal year, according to a press release. They anticipate these technologies will lead to improved customer experience (60%), better restaurant operations (36%), and enhanced loyalty programs (31%).

Despite the optimism, restaurant leaders face hurdles. Identifying the right use cases and managing risks were cited by 48% of respondents as the top factors holding back AI deployment. A lack of talent or technical skills also concerned 45% of those surveyed. When considering risks, intellectual property issues (20%) and misuse of client data (16%) were most frequently mentioned.

"As the restaurant industry appears to increasingly embraces AI, the journey to full-scale transformation is still a work in progress," Evert Gruyaert, Deloitte's restaurants and food service industry leader, said in the release. "Leveraging AI to create personalized experiences and deeper connections with consumers can be an effective strategy."

The survey found AI investments in customer experience are already showing impact, with 52% of brands and 84% of operators reporting high returns. Daily AI use is most common in aiding the customer experience (63% of respondents) and inventory management (55%). Emerging applications include voice AI in drive-thrus for automated order-taking.

The report also highlighted that many organizations are still in the preliminary stages of AI readiness. Fewer than half of respondents indicated their organizations are fully prepared for AI adoption in terms of strategy (43%), technology infrastructure (39%), operations (34%), risk and governance (28%) and talent (27%).

Conducted in late 2024, the Deloitte report is based on a survey of 375 global restaurant executives across 11 countries.