7shifts Launches Digital Prep List: Research Report on The State of Restaurant Tech 2025

New research shows only one in seven restaurants have fully integrated systems and why that matters for growth, retention, and the bottom line

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 7shifts, the scheduling and payroll platform for restaurant operators, today announced the release of its Digital Prep List, a guide to help restaurant operators prepare their restaurants for the future of technology. This benchmarking report draws on feedback from more than 500 restaurant professionals, and highlights a growing divide between operators who use connected systems to boost profitability and those still relying on manual processes that drain time and cut into margins.

"Operators are under immense pressure, with 44% missing labor cost targets and more than half citing food inflation as their biggest concern," said Jordan Boesch, CEO at 7shifts. "In this environment, the right technology isn't a luxury; it's a necessity. Only about one in seven restaurants has made it to the most advanced stage of tech adoption, where everything works together and operators can see their labor costs and compliance in real-time. That's the gap we're focused on closing."

The Digital Prep List maps the journey across four key stages (starting, growing, integrated, and strategic) and provides actionable steps for operators to progress toward a fully connected tech stack. While 65% of restaurants adopted a new technology in the last year, a significant divide remains: nearly half (49%) describe their systems as mostly or highly connected, but the rest are still dependent on fragmented or paper-based processes.

Key inefficiencies persist in early stages:

• 47% still use paper schedules or whiteboards
• 50% manage inventory with manual counts
• 57% rely on group texts for team communication

Meanwhile, operators who achieve integrated or strategic status report measurable improvements in labor efficiency, payroll automation, and employee experience, key advantages in a competitive market.

"The restaurant industry is evolving faster than ever, and operators need clarity on where to focus their efforts," said Dominick Costantino, team lead of content marketing at 7shifts. "This report gives them that. It benchmarks where they stand today and provides a practical roadmap to close technology gaps, strengthen operations, and position their business for long-term growth."

The Digital Prep List delivers:

• Benchmarks against 500+ peers
• Self-identification of a restaurant's current stage and steps to advance
• Data-backed insights to cut costs, boost retention, and enable smarter growth

Download the full report at www.7shifts.com/restaurant-digital-prep-list and see how your restaurant stacks up.

About 7shifts
Born in the back office of a sandwich shop in 2014, 7shifts is a scheduling and payroll platform designed to help restaurant teams thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 55,000 restaurants. To learn more, please visit www.7shifts.com.

SOURCE 7shifts