Next-Gen Architecture for Multi-Unit Restaurants: Part One

Introduction to Next-Gen Cloud Architecture

The pandemic accelerated and cemented the trend toward more digital ordering channels in the restaurant industry. As guests demanded new ordering modes, brands added these technologies around their Point of Sale (POS), continuing to build on top of an already shaky foundation.

Each new order channel introduced different data repositories and incompatible data silos, further delaying any hope of optimizing revenues and costs in a timely manner. For large restaurant brands running on outdated client-server technology the situation is untenable. Moving toward a unified, connected platform approach built on next-gen cloud architecture is no longer “optional” but a clear “must have” for brands looking to grow and thrive.

The New Restaurant Mandate: Unify the Physical and Digital Experience??

Many brands are running on first-gen cloud architectures that mirror the challenges of legacy client-server technologies > slow, disjointed, and difficult to maintain tech stacks, resulting in poor staff/crew and guest experiences.

Unification is the most common theme running across all enterprise restaurant brands. With the impact of the pandemic firmly baked into guest buying behavior, there is a rising preference for digital ordering, mobile apps over desktop, and off-premises dining. But the fact remains that more than 50% of sales will still come from physical stores. Given the higher demand for digital ordering channels, combined with the importance of in-store revenue streams, brands can no longer view in-store technology separately from digital technology. Qu’s annual "State of Digital" report for 2022 revealed that restaurant brands overwhelmingly feel it is time to upgrade and consolidate their systems to cope with changing guest demands— plus an overly complex and disjointed tech stack.

The Complex Restaurant Technology Ecosystem

The restaurant technology ecosystem will continue to grow and evolve at a rapid pace. Quick service (QSR) and fast casual (FC) operators need to constantly find better strategies to improve the speed of service, incremental revenue, and efficiencies while managing an unwieldy tech stack.

We Have Good News!!! Managing your restaurant's tech stack doesn't need to be nightmarish and unweildy. It's time to claim back your stack, empower your teams, and make it more manageable for all those involved.

It's true ... new tech solutions are introduced every day, with restaurant tech investments at an all-time high. To simplify the complex landscape, it helps to organize your tech services into three main areas:

? Take Orders — includes all guest-facing ordering channels (on- and off-prem) and payment management

? Make Orders — kitchen, production, and, fulfillment services

? Serve Orders & Guests — Loyalty, marketing, back-of-house functions, revenue and cost management??

Restaurant tech is ripe for reinvention and our mission is to equip you with all the knowledge and tools you'll need to ride this new wave of innovation into the future.

Stay tuned for part II: The Business Case for a Unified Platform where we'll discuss the top reasons why a Uniform Commerce Platform is beneficial to your business.