[September 23, 2026]

94% of Customers Say Technology Influences Which Quick-Service Restaurant They Eat At, Canopy Research Finds

Canopy, the trusted provider of AI supervision for unsupervised devices, today released new research on what customers think is working well and also what's not with technology at quick-service restaurants (QSRs). The 2026 Restaurant Tech Report: Add Sauce, Hold the Friction is based on a national survey of 1,007 U.S. adults and highlights how technology shapes customer experience and brand loyalty.

The gross majority of customers (94%) now consider technology when choosing where to eat, up from 80% in 2025. And as technology becomes a bigger part of the QSR experience, customers are becoming less forgiving when it fails. Over a third of customers have abandoned orders because of faulty tech.

"Speed and predictability are the whole promise of fast food, so there is very little margin for error when you add technology," said Steve Latham, CEO of Canopy. "Whether it is a kiosk, AI ordering or a payment terminal, one small glitch sends a customer somewhere else. That is why operators are moving to catch and fix these problems before the customer ever sees them."

Report findings include:

• McDonald's is customers' top pick again: In both 2025 and 2026, 34% said McDonald's offered the best technology experience at a QSR, with Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell rounding out the top three. McDonald's also took the top spot for app downloads, with Starbucks a distant second at 20 points behind.
• Customers are not willing to wait for faulty tech: 37% of customers have left without completing an order because the technology wasn't working.
• Tip prompts also prompt leaving: 29% of customers have changed how they order, chosen another restaurant, or left without completing an order because of a tip prompt.
• Kiosks are still causing problems: Only 20% of kiosk users say the devices work every time, which is unchanged from 2025.
• More customers are pulling up to find AI drive-thrus: AI drive-thru exposure rose 60% year over year, from 15% to 24%, with voice ordering improving but ability to answer questions lacking.
• Reward apps are not rewarding: Among customers with a QSR app installed, 49% have had issues with loyalty points not registering or expiring without warning.

The findings point to a growing challenge for QSRs: As technology adoption goes up, so do customer expectations. When the technology works as intended, quick-service restaurant brands have much to gain. Customers will view them as a reliable dining option, and they are likely to visit again. Operational costs will go down, and employees' time is freed up to focus on customers directly. All of these benefits translate to more revenue, lower expenses, and a better reputation.

Download Add Sauce, Hold the Friction to read the complete findings.

About Canopy

Canopy is the trusted provider of AI supervision for unsupervised devices, including self-checkout kiosks, security systems, smart lockers, and point-of-sale systems. Using custom automations and agentic AI, Canopy detects and resolves remote device issues 24/7/365. Teams rely on Canopy to increase uptime, reduce service costs, and fix problems before anyone notices.

To learn more, visit goCanopy.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260923218503/en/

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