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Fast casual concepts must invest in a connected technology system to seamlessly bring together all the technology, according to Michelle Connolly, director of sales, Managed Services & Solutions Group, Panasonic Connect North America
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August 20, 2025
Over the years, fast casual restaurants have shown the ability to keep up with constant change. They have been able to deal with shifting customer preferences, economic ups-and-downs and a global pandemic to become a leading force in the restaurant industry. It has led to a fast casual resurgence, but, as always, new challenges are on the way.
From ongoing labor issues to the demand for personalized dining experiences, moving forward for fast casual restaurants is more than just feel-good food and an iconic brand. Not to mention that as customers become increasingly aware of their spending habits, the idea of dining out is on the chopping block.
For those willing and able to innovate, these challenges offer a chance to create a more efficient and profitable business for the future. One way to keep up is by investing in a connected technology system to seamlessly bring together all the technology in a fast casual restaurant.
Stronger hires, better retention rates
Challenges around labor continue to evolve. While hiring is still competitive, there is a sharp focus on retaining talent and positioning current staff to make the most impact for the business. According to the National Restaurant Association, 59% of operators had openings in 2024 that were hard to fill. When fast casual restaurants have good talent in-house, they must create a workplace that keeps them engaged and supports getting the job done. The current landscape leaves restaurant operators with talent gaps often filled by entry level or short-term hires and a dynamic business demand in which hiring needs to be fluid to meet different buying seasons. The latter remains impacted by hybrid work, return-to-office and other industry conditions.
The tools, technologies, systems and processes that a fast casual restaurant deploys can go a long way in both solving this challenge and alleviating issues during times of instability and change. Let’s say a fast casual restaurant and its employees are facing a mix of disconnected systems that make the job at hand challenging — unintuitive, unreliable and unresponsive. Not only does this lead to burnout, but it could also directly increase the turnover rate.
The answer lies in technology and integration that eases operations from the front counter to the kitchen. Consider this: 69% of operators say that integrating more technology over the past two to three years has boosted efficiency and productivity.
Augmenting tasks like ordering at a kiosk allows the customer to order to their exact specifications, while freeing employees to focus on creating a great customer experience. Similarly, easy-to-use digital interfaces from the front to the back of the store promote order accuracy and fulfilment speed — two drivers of customer satisfaction in dining. For example, a unified POS system connects orders from kiosks, mobile apps and the drive-through to kitchen screen systems, creating a workflow that is easier to manage, train new hires and meet customer needs. This not only increases productivity but also creates a less stressful work environment, which is vital for retaining staff.
Better inventory management, reducing Waste
Fast casual restaurants have access to copious amounts of data thanks to the digitization of POS systems, membership and loyalty programs, and a myriad of ordering options. Add in innovation to digital signage and menu boards, and other digital touchpoints that generate data, and fast casual operators are left with a lot of helpful information at the ready. Turning the data into useful insights is more valuable than ever, especially as inventory management, food preferences, and peak traffic have become more complicated and challenging to predict.
Take changing food preferences, for example. Fast casual restaurants must balance the freshness of perishable food items and a wider ingredient list for customers that want healthier food options and locally sourced produce. However, supply chain issues are causing fast casual restaurants to face less predictable availability of seasonal ingredients, which can lead to product shortages.
Data and AI-powered tools can help solve for problems before they happen by predicting when outages will occur allwoing restaurant managers to plan. More generally, this type of technology provides businesses with a better understanding of order patterns, which enables them to be more innovative in fulfilling orders. This forward-thinking approach is an effective means to protect profit margins from supply chain disruptions.
Preventing inconsistent customer experiences
It’s no surprise that today’s customer expects consistent personalized experiences. And it doesn’t matter where they order from as it could be a mobile app, drive-thru, or via a kiosk. Let’s take loyalty and reward programs as an example as 96% of customers agree that being a member of one gets them more “bang for their buck.” At the end of the day, they want programs that are easy to access, no matter how they’re ordering. Applications must feel personalized, whether it’s suggesting a drink when it’s on sale or offering deals when they’re in proximity to a restaurant.
If restaurants have a complicated interface or unreliable and outdated hardware that doesn’t easily sync to the loyalty app, it can quickly ruin the experience. This is why it’s important for fast casual operators to look beyond the standard technology applications and be able to identify areas where connected systems can make a difference in the margins and deliver consistent customer experiences.
Retaining employees, understanding data management and sustaining customer expectations are interconnected challenges that must be addressed by fast casual restaurants. Tackling them requires a comprehensive approach. By creating a connected restaurant where technological advances support staff, fast casual restaurants will unlock growth and efficiency.
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Panasonic Connect North America
Panasonic Connect is a B2B company offering device hardware, software, and professional services for the connected enterprise. From point-of-sale systems to digital signage and back-office management software, our solutions are all backed by a team of dedicated experts to ensure your success.
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