The 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey: How U.S. Restaurants are Handling Inflation, Labor, AI, and Revenue Growth

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toast (NYSE: TOST) released its 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey. Each year, Toast polls hundreds of restaurant operators to get a pulse check on the industry. How are restaurants faring in 2026? What are the biggest pain points? Where do they see opportunity, and how has that changed since last year?

What was clear from our 2026 survey from April 3, 2026, to April 20, 2026, of 676 restaurant operators and decision-makers is that restaurants are durable, and they’re doubling down on being busy and effective to achieve their business goals.¹

And the data backs it up: 91% of operators rate their business as good or excellent — matching last year's high mark — with growth and efficiency topping their list of priorities.

Read the full 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey on the Data by Toast website.

Key takeaways from the 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey:

• Restaurants are durable: 91% of operators rate their business health as good or excellent, unchanged from 2025.
• Inflation (27%) and hiring (22%) are the top two challenges, and both rose more than any other pain point year over year (+7 and +6 points).
• Profitability is the #1 goal (37%), and operators are increasingly pursuing it by serving guests in new ways and staying busy, not by cutting.
• AI is now mainstream: 87% of operators feel comfortable using AI, and nearly 9 in 10 are experimenting with it.
• Growth is the plan: bringing in more guests is the top revenue focus.

What's the state of the restaurant industry in 2026?

Despite rising inflation and hiring difficulties, 91% of operators polled said their business is good or excellent, holding steady with last year's strong showing even as external pressures mounted. That confidence runs deep: more than 8 in 10 operators feel neutral to extremely comfortable with the current macro climate.

Restaurant operators are increasingly looking at more disciplined inventory to keep costs down, while fewer are looking to raise menu prices compared to last year. Still, 43% of restaurant operators said they will increase menu prices if the cost of goods increases in the next 12 months, but that’s down five points compared to last year.

The bottom line

The story so far in 2026 is that restaurants are operating with familiar challenges, but they’re leaning into the hard work with a growth mindset. Operators are navigating cost and labor pressures, and are protecting their profitability through efficiency, optimized menus, keeping their teams happy and intact, experimenting with AI, and betting on guest demand.

The challenges at play are familiar for restaurants, and their instinct to turn them into momentum is also something we’ve seen from this durable industry.

Read the full 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey on the Data by Toast website.

¹2026 Survey Methodology

To help better understand the restaurant industry, Toast conducted a blind survey of 676 restaurant decision-makers operating 16 or fewer locations in the United States, including both Toast and non-Toast customers, from April 3, 2026, to April 20, 2026. Respondents include a mix of both full-service and quick-service restaurants. Respondents were not made aware that Toast was fielding the study. Panel providers granted incentives to restaurant respondents for participation. Using a standard margin of error calculation, at a confidence interval of 95%, the margin of error of +/- 4%.

About Toast

Toast [NYSE: TOST] is a global technology platform built for restaurant and retail businesses. From the busiest local restaurants and shops to large hospitality brands, Toast helps owners and operators manage their businesses more efficiently, drive guest demand, and build lasting success.

Toast integrates software, agentic AI, payments, financial technology solutions, and hardware with a broad partner ecosystem. Powering billions of purchases throughout local commerce, Toast delivers the precision and innovation required for modern restaurant and retail environments. For more information, visit www.toasttab.com.

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