The State of Digital Report (2026) by QU Pos - Restaurants Are Done Experimenting. Now They Have to Execute

Send us Fan MailRestaurants have crossed a line.AI adoption is accelerating. Digital sales are growing. Tech spend is rising.But here’s the problem… very little of it is actually working.In this episode, Carl sits down with Jen Kern (CMO at Qu) to break down the 2026 State of Digital Report and what it really tells us about the industry.This is not a conversation about trends. It’s a conversation about execution.Key themes include:Why 73% of brands are investing in AI, but only 9% see real impactHow fragmented tech stacks are holding back guest experienceWhy digital growth is exposing operational weaknessesThe shift from experimentation to operational disciplineWhat “serving smarter” actually means in practiceIf you care about where restaurants go next, this is one to watch.Download and read the full report on Qu's website hereSupport the show🔔 Subscribe to The Digital Restaurant Podcast and follow us on YouTube for more episodes that combine the love of food with the latest in technology. Your next restaurant tech adventure starts here!📖  Get your copy of the Delivering the Digital Restaurant books at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎤 Have Carl come and speak at your company conference! Learn more at www.theDigital.Restaurant🎙️📰Please subscribe to our newsletter and connect with Carl's Delivering the Digital Restaurant page on LinkedIn for their twice-a-month newsletter.