Technology

Tech investments on rise for driving restaurant strategies

Adobe Stock

May 22, 2023

Restaurants are investing in technology more than ever to optimize delivery channels and boost profits, according to a research report from restaurant SaaS provider Delaget.

The report, "2022 QSR Operational Index," revealed delivery channels have grown by 1,343% since 2019. Third-party delivery sales have been on an upward trajectory in most states since 2020, with the East Coast leading the charge, reflecting the growing demand for convenient and reliable meal delivery options, according to a press release on the findings.

Additional findings include:

• Counter sales in 2022 hit 14.44%, an increase of 51.9% over last year, but still down dramatically when compared to pre-pandemic rates of 34.82% in 2018 and 29.68% in 2019.
• Average labor costs as a percent of sales are up 6% year over year.
• Guest checks for delivery have been consistently higher than other channels over the last three years. In 2022, delivery checks were 63% higher than drive-thru and counter checks on average.

"After a disruptive past few years, restaurant operators are leveraging technology more than ever to solve new challenges, optimize their delivery channels and make data-driven decisions to drive growth and maximize profits during a time of increasing margin pressure," Jason Tober, CEO of Delaget, said in the release. "Our goal with this annual report is to provide restaurant operators with the data they need to benchmark their performance and to equip them with the tools and insights they need to improve performance and optimize their businesses."