Earlier this year, we wanted to identify the main operational pain points and growth opportunities in multi-unit restaurant chains. So, we went straight to the source: the operators.
To capture the current state of multi-unit restaurant growth, we commissioned a quantitative research study in partnership with Technomic. 300+ multi-unit restaurant operators with decision-making authority for systems and ops were anonymously surveyed in Spring 2025, each operating a minimum of 10 US-based store locations.
We uncovered top benchmarks, investment trends, and growth priorities, all available in the newly released 2025 Restaurant Growth Insights Report. In the report, you’ll find key insights into how these restaurant operators are approaching growth today and where they feel confident, from labor management and inventory control to task execution and tech readiness, to where they see opportunity for improvement.
Let’s explore some of the key findings and how they impact operations.
Growth plans amid economic concerns
- Key Finding: Operators plan to open, on average, 20% more new locations in the next two years than during the last two, despite 73% being concerned about economic uncertainty, and 75% saying that growth is now harder to achieve.
- Impact: While many operators plan to expand, their concerns about economic headwinds show that growth isn’t off the table even as uncertainty looms.
Sales forecasting accuracy falls short
- Key Finding: Despite being a top priority, operators say their sales forecasts are only 60% accurate, on average, even though 72% use tech-based forecasting tools.
- Impact: This signals that while tools exist, many solutions are not meeting their needs. Inaccurate forecasts (off by 40%) will negatively impact growth and profitability.
Visibility gaps hurt the bottom line
- Key Finding: While 80% of operators prioritize real-time visibility into data across key areas like labor, food costs, and compliance, fewer than half actually have it. Major blind spots exist in tracking food costs, waste, and ingredient usage—all critical to profitability.
- Impact: Full real-time visibility is essential for spotting issues, ensuring accountability, and making smart decisions that protect growth and guest experience.
Growth depends on strong vendor support
- Key Finding: Although 83% of operators strive to partner with vendors who can support their growth, 79% faced challenges during periods of expansion, ranging from rising costs to poor integration, which all become amplified as brands scale.
- Impact: These challenges highlight that while tools are in place, vendors aren’t always delivering the real-time guidance or accuracy needed.
For greater detail on this research, download the 2025 Restaurant Growth Insights Report. A deeper dive into the findings will also be shared in a live webinar on October 15th—register here.