Over 60% of Foodservice Tech Leaders Cite High Costs and Legacy Systems as Major Barriers
to AI Implementation
ATLANTA, June 3, 2025 -- A new research report from digital transformation consultancy Stable Kernel, The Future Served Fast: How AI & Tech Are Reshaping Foodservice, highlights a growing gap between ambitious AI goals and the stubborn reality of legacy technology in the foodservice industry.
Surveying over 200 IT, operations, and digital transformation leaders from QSR, fast casual, full-service, CPG, and convenience segments, the study found that most companies are struggling to modernize systems fast enough to meet the pace of AI expectations.
"The question being asked is not whether to use AI. It's how do we integrate our systems with it?" said Mary Elzey, Chief Strategy Officer at Stable Kernel. "It requires a fundamentally different process: we expect more prototyping, throwing away things faster, rethinking architecture. The architecture piece is hard to get right, and it's critical before bolting AI onto places where it makes no business sense."
Top Barriers to Modernization:
- High implementation and maintenance costs
- Difficulty scaling technology with business growth
- Outdated or incompatible legacy systems
These issues are especially acute in fast casual and convenience store segments, where operational complexity often outpaces available resources.
"Every client we work with has AI on their roadmap," said Jay Gyuricza, VP of Revenue. "You're potentially changing workflows, customer interactions, and backend systems. That's sensitive—especially when AI needs to enhance legacy tech, not bulldoze it."
AI Conversations Outpace Real Impact
While many foodservice companies have seen success using AI for marketing automation and promotions, their ambitions are expanding. The focus is now shifting toward agentic AI and developer tools to support more complex goals like infrastructure optimization, supply chain management, and real-time forecasting.
The hurdles they face in doing so, according to the research study, include:
- High upfront costs
- Data security and privacy concerns
- Difficulty proving business value
- Gaps in internal skill sets
Only one-third of respondents reported having a clear strategy for applying AI to their core operations. Many feel urgency to move faster—without the clarity to do so confidently.
The CORE Disconnect Stable Kernel describes a breakdown in CORE priorities—Customer experience, Operations, and Revenue—when companies make disjointed tech investments without clear outcomes.
Findings indicate the biggest barriers to overcoming technology challenges include:
- 85% say they face limited internal resources
- 60% find vendor selection complex
- 57% report they are overwhelmed by AI hype
Among foodservice tech leaders, 61% plan to hire a consultancy in the next 12 months. An even larger group—81%—value expert input on build-vs-buy decisions across operations, logistics, and customer engagement.
"There's no shortage of tools. The challenge is knowing what fits where," said Elzey. "Our engineers bring deep experience—not just with AI, but with designing practical solutions that work inside the messy, mixed-tech environments most teams are living in."
For more key insights from the report or to meet with Stable Kernel to discuss the full report, click the link or visit stablekernel.com.
About Stable Kernel
Stable Kernel is a digital transformation consultancy helping foodservice brands modernize infrastructure, integrate AI, and build custom systems that enterprises rely on to drive long-term profitability. From logistics to loyalty, we focus on engineering solutions that deliver high-quality performance.
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