In today’s restaurant environment, operational complexity is the norm—not the exception. Our clients are balancing labor shortages, supply chain shifts, evolving service models, and an increasingly digital guest experience. And they’re doing it across dozens, sometimes hundreds, of locations.
From what we’ve seen, the tech stack can either support that complexity or compound it. When systems don’t scale smoothly, the friction isn’t just felt in IT—it shows up in service quality, training timelines, and the bottom line.
That’s why many forward-thinking operations leaders we work with are rethinking their infrastructure. Here are five of the most common pressure points—and what more modern platforms are helping unlock in return.
1. Manual busywork is weighing down teams
From labor planning to inventory management to daily reconciliations, manual workflows are still surprisingly common in multi-unit operations. We regularly hear from managers who spend hours each week on repetitive tasks that could be automated.
It’s more than just a time suck—it introduces inconsistency from store to store and makes scaling feel harder than it should.
Why it matters: According to Fast Casual, restaurants adopting smart tech in inventory and labor workflows saw significant improvements in both food cost control and employee efficiency—two of the biggest levers in a margin-tight environment (FastCasual.com, 2024).
What we’ve seen work: Automating scheduling, stock counts, and reconciliation allows teams to get out of the back office and back to leading the floor. It also frees up time for coaching, service, and solving the day-to-day fires that actually need human attention.
2. Decentralized tools create operational drag
We’ve worked with brands where every store runs a slightly different version of the same tools—or worse, different tools entirely. When that’s the case, even the simplest updates (like menu changes or policy rollouts) become operational hurdles.
This kind of inconsistency slows down teams and adds confusion that ripples all the way to the guest experience.
What we’ve seen work: Centralized platforms give ops leaders unified control over critical elements—menus, pricing, permissions, and promotions—so every store runs on the same playbook. It reduces errors, accelerates change management, and gives teams a stronger foundation for scale.
3. Visibility gaps delay decision-making
Making good operational decisions starts with having the right data—but that data often arrives late, lives in silos, or requires manual work to interpret. That’s not a sustainable way to run a growing enterprise.
When store-level reports can’t be accessed quickly—or when KPIs differ from one dashboard to another—operations leaders are forced to make guesses instead of plans.
What we’ve seen work: When reporting is integrated and real-time, COOs and their teams gain immediate visibility into store performance, labor metrics, and transaction trends. That clarity enables better forecasting, more agile pivots, and faster identification of outliers that need attention.
4. Tools can either empower teams—or frustrate them
High turnover and inconsistent onboarding are challenges we hear about every week. And while no system can solve labor shortages entirely, better tools can absolutely make hiring and training easier—and reduce burnout in the process.
Too often, we see frontline teams using clunky or inconsistent systems that make even basic tasks feel cumbersome. It’s one of those quiet friction points that adds up quickly.
Why it matters: According to NCR Voyix research, 49% of full-service restaurants cite labor shortages as a major challenge—and the tech experience has a direct impact on retention and readiness.
What we’ve seen work: Intuitive, consistent platforms reduce training time and support day-one productivity. New hires feel more confident, experienced staff stay more engaged, and operators can maintain performance standards with fewer gaps.
5. Growth should be system-ready
Growth is a goal—but it’s also a test. When our clients add new units, try new formats, or expand into new markets, they quickly find out if their systems are built for scale.
Unfortunately, many discover their infrastructure wasn’t made to flex. New locations introduce new workarounds, new costs, and new risks—unless the tech is ready to handle the complexity.
What we’ve seen work: Modular, cloud-based platforms make it possible to scale without replatforming. Whether you’re adding locations, evolving your service model, or layering in new revenue streams, the tech should support—not hinder—those moves.
Operational excellence starts with smarter systems
From what we’ve seen, the COOs who are leading with confidence right now are the ones who’ve invested in simplifying their infrastructure. They're not looking for silver bullets—they’re looking for systems that reduce noise, unify data, and help their teams move faster.
The more complex the business becomes, the more valuable that kind of clarity is.
If that sounds like where your team is headed, let’s compare notes.
We’ve supported COOs across formats and markets, and we’re always happy to share what we’re seeing—and how modern platforms are helping operations leaders not just manage the business, but move it forward.
