As restaurant operators map out capital allocation for 2026, investment skews heavily toward operational performance, particularly in the back of the house, per a restaurant development + design reader survey fielded in March.
The top priority, cited by 27% of respondents, is kitchen efficiency and back-of-the-house upgrades. Close behind, 24% of operators point to labor-saving technology as a key focus of their investment initiatives.
Front-of-house investment remains part of the equation, of course, as 18% of respondents plan to prioritize new designs and remodels.
Meanwhile, guest-facing digital tools — think ordering, loyalty and app-based experiences — rank slightly lower at 13%.
Notably, 16% of respondents report their plans call for minimal new investment.
Only 2% selected “other,” however, those responses included investing in advanced technologies such as AI.
What does it mean? Investment in 2026 is focused behind the scenes, with the aim of driving efficiency and improving the bottom line.
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