Restaurant Business Magazine · 24 Sep, 23:08 · Technology briefing

More restaurants are struggling with profitability, and technology isn’t always helping

Recent reporting indicates that a growing number of restaurants are facing significant profitability challenges.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

30%premium for professionals who pair domain skills with tech fluency

3.5xfaster skill turnover — staying current is the moat

74%of employers fund staff who self-start upskilling

20days to your first credential

The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Recent reporting indicates that a growing number of restaurants are facing significant profitability challenges. Contrary to popular belief, the widespread adoption of technology is not universally resolving these financial pressures. Many establishments find that digital tools, rather than streamlining operations, are adding complexity or failing to deliver expected returns on investment. This trend highlights a disconnect between technological implementation and actual operational efficiency within the hospitality sector, suggesting that tech alone is insufficient for restoring financial health amidst rising costs and operational hurdles.

Employer demand for Tourism And Hospitality skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This shift signals that technical proficiency alone is no longer a career safety net in hospitality. You must now prioritise financial acumen and strategic operational oversight. Professionals who can critically evaluate technology’s actual ROI, rather than just implementing it, will rise in value. Focus on mastering cost control, supply chain resilience, and data-driven decision-making. If you work in this sector, audit your current tech stack for genuine efficiency gains. Move beyond basic digital marketing; instead, develop skills in financial modelling and operational management. Smart professionals will position themselves as strategic advisors who bridge the gap between technology and bottom-line profitability, ensuring every digital investment directly supports sustainable growth.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Tourism And Hospitality, Finance and Accounting, Supply Chain and Business And Management — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.