Why 2026 is the year of the AI-driven restaurant

December 23, 2025

Technology

By 2026, AI is expected to transition from an experimental novelty to an operational necessity in the restaurant industry, utilizing “invisible” back-of-house automation and hyper-personalized customer tools to combat labor shortages and protect profit margins.

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December 23, 2025 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part series on predictions in the restaurant industry in the new year.

As the hospitality sector moves into 2026, the AI-driven restaurant is transitioning from a high-tech novelty to an operational necessity driven by persistent labor shortages and tightening margins. Industry analysts predict that the next 12 months will see a shift toward “invisible AI” — systems that quietly manage hyper-personalized loyalty rewards, dynamic pricing and real-time inventory forecasting without a robot in sight.

While front-of-house automation like voice-AI drive-thrus and self-service kiosks are expected to become the industry standard, the most significant growth is projected in back-of-house “agentic AI” that can autonomously adjust staffing schedules and menu offerings based on predictive weather patterns and local events. For diners, this means a future of super-human hospitality where technology handles the logistics so that human staff can focus entirely on the emotional connection of service.

How AI will affect the restaurant industry

We talked to industry experts to get their take on the future of AI in the restaurant industry.

Amber Trendell, senior director of marketing strategy for Oracle Restaurants, said AI and automation drive a transformative dining era.

“As we look toward 2026, the restaurant industry is poised for a transformative leap, driven by the convergence of intelligent, omnichannel point-of-sale systems, embedded AI and automation across every operational touchpoint, from kitchens to kiosks. For brands across QSR, TSR, fine dining, casual concepts, entertainment venues and multi-brand groups, success will hinge on embracing secure, unified technology platforms that amplify personalization, streamline operations and enable real-time engagement with guests,” Trendell said. “Seamless integration of loyalty and payment solutions within POS environments will deliver frictionless experiences, while AI-powered insights and connected back-of-house systems enhance operational agility and food quality. At Oracle Restaurants, we believe the industry’s future will be shaped by embedding AI capabilities that deliver measurable business value, and flexible, open ecosystem architectures that power innovation, empower staff, and uphold the highest standards for data privacy and compliance, helping to ensure brands can respond to evolving guest expectations and define the next era of dining excellence.”

Ming-Tai Huh, Head of Food & Beverage at Square, believes automation will become a determining factor in protecting business margins.

“Restaurants can’t afford to pause or delay their tech investment, because in periods of reduced traffic and tighter consumer spending, technology serves as a true cost-control and customer acquisition lever – not a luxury,” Huh said. “In 2026, the businesses that use AI to expand their operational capabilities, streamline administration and improve their self-serve and mobile apps will be the ones who can adjust quickly to find success. This is the year we’ll see AI innovation showing up in practical tools that enhance ordering experiences, loyalty programs, menu management, inventory oversight and anything that drives speed and ease. AI is the key to unlocking growth and will be the buoy through changing economic tides.”

Christian Wiens, CEO and founder of Loman AI, a voice AI customer engagement platform for restaurants, said voice AI crosses a critical threshold in 2026, moving from experimental technology to essential infrastructure.

“The testing phase is over. Restaurants now demand platforms that integrate seamlessly with their existing systems and deliver utility-grade reliability,” Wiens said. “What we’re seeing in the data tells the story: pizza and high-volume takeout categories deployed first and are now 12-18 months ahead, seeing 26%-plus phone revenue increases. In 2026, the rest of the industry stops asking ‘should we adopt voice AI?’ and starts asking ‘which platform actually works with our Toast or Square system?’ With 80% annual restaurant turnover making it impossible to reliably staff phones, voice AI shifts from voice AI shifts from nice-to-have to operational necessity.”

Eran Hollander, chief product officer for POS brand HungerRush, believes operational AI is going to move from concept to default among big brands.

“This is going to go beyond our current experience with AI, where it can do things like get workers off phones while also increasing phone order capacity,” Hollander said. “It will develop into a fully personalized concierge service for customers and operators. AI agents will leverage brands’ customer data to better cater to the experience diners are looking for. Without replacing the human element, AI will redefine hospitality by allowing digital interactions (think loyalty, online ordering, couponing, etc.) to be surgically personalized for every customer, providing VIP treatment, as though the experience was built specifically for each customer. The kind of personalized service that used to be confined to ultra-luxury experiences will become widely available for all.”

In conclusion

The consensus among industry leaders is clear: the window for treating AI as a “future project” has officially closed. In a climate defined by labor scarcity and razor-thin margins, AI has matured into a utility-grade necessity — as fundamental to a restaurant’s survival as the ovens in the kitchen.

As we move through 2026, the competitive divide will widen between those who use AI to shield their margins and those who remain tethered to manual inefficiencies. Success in this new era will belong to the brands that view technology not as a luxury, but as the essential buoy that keeps them afloat amidst shifting economic tides.

About Mandy Wolf Detwiler

Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.

An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.

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