Last week’s FSTEC conference was a bit of a reality check for restaurants. Data shared at the event showed that traffic remains weak, profits are shrinking, menu price inflation is rising again, and U.S. population growth is slowing, among other concerns.
It’s tough out there, to say the least.
But it might be even tougher for the other half of the audience at the event — the companies trying to sell technology to those restaurants.
It’s not just a sluggish restaurant market that’s getting tech vendors down. They’re grappling with AI and the opportunities and risks it represents. They’re also dealing with deeper questions about whether tech is even helping restaurants at all.
It all bubbled up at FSTEC, the annual celebration of restaurant technology that this year felt more like a referendum at times.
