The quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector continues to undergo a rapid digital transformation, with brands investing heavily in customer-facing technologies to streamline operations and enhance dining experiences. According to Fast-Food Friction: The 2025 Restaurant Tech Report, published by Canopy, consumer behaviour and perceptions reveal both opportunities and challenges in this evolving landscape.

A key finding from the report is that technology now plays a decisive role in shaping customer choice, with four out of five consumers stating that it influences where they choose to eat. This highlights how digital engagement has shifted from being a supplementary feature to a central determinant of brand competitiveness in the fast-food industry.

More than 60% of QSR customers report using self-service kiosks at least occasionally, with 26% doing so frequently. The main benefits identified include faster ordering (51%), easier customisation (34%), more browsing time (36%), and improved accuracy (28%). These findings emphasise kiosks’ ability to empower customers with control and efficiency during the ordering process.

However, adoption is tempered by persistent technical issues. Eight out of ten kiosk users report having experienced malfunctions such as receipt printer failures, frozen screens, or machines being unavailable. The report further notes that frequent QSR visitors — particularly those who dine out three or more times per week — are the most consistent kiosk users. Parents and larger group diners also favour kiosks, largely due to their customisation and accuracy advantages. This suggests that while kiosks align with customer needs, reliable infrastructure and system uptime remain critical for sustaining satisfaction.

Although still emerging, AI-assisted drive-thru systems have begun to shape the QSR customer journey. Only 15% of customers have encountered an AI drive-thru to date, but the majority of those experiences (66%) were rated as good or superior compared to human-staffed alternatives. This indicates early acceptance and optimism about AI’s potential to enhance speed and personalisation.

Nevertheless, technological limitations are evident. Approximately 75% of AI drive-thru users reported order misunderstandings, while 25% cited excessive transaction times. These findings suggest that while AI has the capacity to reduce labour costs and increase efficiency, refinements in voice recognition accuracy and system responsiveness are essential before mass adoption can be achieved.

The Canopy report demonstrates that technology is no longer peripheral to the QSR sector — it is becoming foundational to consumer choice and brand differentiation. Self-service kiosks have gained broad traction, particularly among frequent diners and families, but reliability issues hinder seamless adoption. Meanwhile, AI drive-thrus show significant promise but remain in a developmental phase, requiring further innovation to deliver consistent accuracy and speed.