The State of the Restaurant Industry

A comprehensive look at the challenges, opportunities, and winning strategies shaping the future of restaurant operations.

The Shift

Consumer behavior has structurally changed

Digital ordering has fundamentally transformed how guests interact with restaurants

1st party digital
3rd party delivery

By 2025, approximately 75% of restaurant traffic is off premise or digitally influenced.

Market Reality

Digital ordering is no longer a side channel

45% of total restaurant orders are now digital.
Digital is the fastest growing order type — and the gap is widening.

Channel Economics

Not all digital orders are created equal

1st Party Digital
Kiosk, app, web ordering

• Full margin retention
• Complete guest data ownership
• Direct relationship building

3rd Party Delivery
DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.

• Average 25% commission fees
• Limited customer data access
• Platform controls the relationship

Margin Pressure

The structural tax of 3rd party growth

$100 Guest Spend
-$25 Commission
-$8 Fees
$67 Net to You

Commissions averaging 25% often exceed total store margin, making volume growth unprofitable.

The Challenge

A paradox is emerging

• Digital Sales: Growing rapidly
• Net Margin: Shrinking faster

Growth through high commission channels compresses already thin margins.

Cost Structure

Labor costs keep rising and there's no turning back

40% of Sales Labor cost and climbing.
Minimum wage increases and staffing shortages are permanent. Automation is the only path forward.

Strategic Reality

Restaurants are fighting on two fronts

Battle 1: In Store

• Win the guest at the physical location with speed, accuracy, and efficiency

Battle 2: Online

• Own the digital relationship and capture margin from direct ordering

Battle 1: In Store

Increase in store traffic and throughput

Highest Margin: Orders with zero commission
Full Control: Own the guest experience
Labor Efficiency: Do more with less staff

Guests want speed, accuracy, and autonomy. The best operators deliver all three.

Battle 2: Online

Increase the share of 1st party digital

Unavoidable Demand: Digital growth is accelerating
Margin at Risk: 3rd party erodes profits
Own the Relationship: Build direct guest connections

~70% of consumers prefer ordering directly from restaurants when given the option.

The Problem

Fragmented tools create fragmented decisions

Most operators are running 6+ disconnected systems

• POS
• Kiosk
• Mobile App
• Delivery
• Loyalty
• Reporting

No Unified View

No unified view of guests, orders, or performance.

Hidden Cost

Operators have data but lack clarity

• Slow Pricing: Decisions take days instead of hours
• Reactive Promotions: Always behind the curve
• Limited Visibility: No store level insights

The biggest cost is slow decision making.

Best Practices

What top operators do differently

• Default guests into 1st party ordering
• Absorb volume without adding labor
• Centralize transaction and guest data

Top operators treat digital as infrastructure, not a channel.

The Digital Front of House Operating System

Built to win in store and online — without margin leakage

Revi Ecosystem

Unified touchpoints fueling growth

Every interaction feeds a single customer intelligence layer.

• POS
• Kiosk
• Phone Ordering
• App
• Web
• Loyalty

Unified Customer Experience

Single view of every guest.

Data Collection

Every transaction enriches profiles.

Auto Retargeting

AI campaigns that run themselves.

Revi Solution

Shift demand from 3rd party to 1st party

Commission free ordering saves 15 to 30%
Unified guest and transaction layer
Full data ownership 100% yours
Every order builds your customer asset.

ROI Impact

Real results at the store level

• 15-20% Labor Hours Saved per location per month
• $3-5K Commission Avoided per location per month
• 8-12% Revenue Increase from upsells and loyalty

Enterprise Value

Small inefficiencies compound across locations

• Fragmentation Breaks: At 20 to 50 locations, disconnected tools fail
• Franchisees Demand ROI: Clear visibility into what's working
• HQ Control: Consistency without micromanagement

Compounding Value

Short term growth that compounds into long term advantage

Drive immediate revenue while orchestrating future transactions.

Today's Transaction

Smart upsells, menu optimization.

Tomorrow's Demand

Behavior capture, retargeting.

Every transaction today builds your competitive advantage for tomorrow.

Franchise Value

Own Your Customers. Multiply Your Value.

• +40% Higher AOV - Average Across Locations
• 100% Data Visibility - Across All Stores
• 3x Exit Multiple - With owned customer data

Each location strengthens the entire system's value.

Revi Suite + ReviOS

• Operations
• Growth
• Scalability

Physical

• Full suite POS
• Kitchen Management
• Hardware & Software
• Kiosk
• AI agents for phone orders
• QR Codes and table side ordering

Digital

• Enterprise Dashboard
• Employee Management & Payroll Management
• Automated Franchise Fee collection and invoicing
• White label Web & App
• CRM & Loyalty
• AI phone order
• Full Stack Marketing Dashboard
• Fully automated marketing engine
• SEO, email campaigns, SMS blasts

Control the digital front door.

Protect the margin.

Scale without complexity.

Win both battles with one unified system.