(RestaurantNews.com) Starfleet Research has announced the release of The Restaurant Optimization Playbook: How to Achieve Peak Performance and Profitability in 2026 – and Beyond, a new research-driven eBook based on a global study of more than 350 restaurant owners and operators across major regions and restaurant formats, with strong representation from quick-service and fast casual brands. The new eBook, produced with underwriting support from Square, reveals a critical disconnect: while digital adoption is accelerating, operational confidence remains fragile. In fact, only 18% of operators say they are very confident in their ability to forecast sales, labor demand, or guest traffic on a daily or weekly basis.
For QSR and fast casual leaders operating in high-volume, low-margin environments, that uncertainty has real consequences. Demand volatility, labor instability, supplier price fluctuations, and increasingly complex guest expectations are forcing operators to rethink optimization as a continuous, always-on discipline. Nearly half (48%) of operators say they are only “somewhat confident” in forecasting, while 32% admit they are not very confident or not confident at all.
At the same time, appetite for predictive intelligence is strong. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of operators rate predictive insights that incorporate variables such as weather, local events, and neighborhood traffic patterns as extremely or very valuable, signaling a clear shift toward data-driven anticipation rather than reactive firefighting.
The eBook examines how high-performing restaurants, particularly QSR and fast casual brands, are building integrated optimization environments that connect front-of-house and back-of-house workflows with real-time analytics and predictive insight. Instead of managing a patchwork of disconnected tools, these operators are consolidating around platforms and workflows that capture richer data at every guest touchpoint and support faster, more proactive decision-making.
Key findings relevant to QSR and fast casual operators include:
Handheld POS has become a core performance driver.
Seventy-two percent of operators use handheld devices for line-busting or tableside ordering, while 47% use handhelds for curbside or drive-thru workflows. Among handheld users, 79% report integration with kitchen display systems (KDS), enabling orders to route instantly to the line.
Handheld adoption correlates with measurable gains:
• 82% report faster service speeds
• 63% report higher average check size from upsell prompts and modifiers
• 70% report improved guest satisfaction due to faster service and fewer order errors
Self-service kiosks are evolving from labor savers to revenue engines.
More than half of respondents use self-service kiosks in at least one location. Among kiosk-enabled restaurants:
• 76% report reduced wait times
• 67% report higher average check size
• 69% report improved order accuracy
Operators want answers, not dashboards.
Sixty-five percent say they need faster answers to core questions – such as why sales dropped, which items are hurting margins, or why labor spiked – on a daily or several-times-per-week basis.
Exception-based management is becoming standard.
Seventy-eight percent rate proactive alerts that flag KPI drift (e.g., labor %, prep time, ticket size, ingredient costs) as extremely or very useful, reflecting a move toward systems that surface problems automatically.
AI is shifting from “nice to have” to expected capability.
Sixty-four percent say an AI assistant that can answer questions about sales, staffing, or customer trends would be very or extremely helpful – provided the data is accurate and trusted.
Margin volatility is reshaping optimization priorities.
Fifty-eight percent say unexpected supplier price changes impact food costs often or very often. Seventy-two percent rate real-time ingredient price comparisons as very or extremely valuable, while 63% say automatically generating plate costs for every menu item would significantly improve margin management.
The eBook also features real-world operator examples, including multiple Square Seller Success Stories, illustrating how integrated platforms help QSR and fast casual brands centralize control, improve loyalty engagement, increase visibility across locations, and maintain operational consistency as they scale.
Download the eBook
The full research findings and operational frameworks are available in The Restaurant Optimization Playbook: How to Achieve Peak Performance and Profitability in 2026 – and Beyond.
To download the free eBook, click here.
Starfleet Research, the IT market research division of Starfleet Media, is a global leader in benchmarking best practices for technology-enabled business initiatives. Its research helps hospitality organizations optimize performance and is widely regarded as a trusted resource for decision makers evaluating restaurant technology solutions and operational strategies. Starfleet Research publishes Restaurant Technology News and Hotel Technology News.