• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

An overwhelming majority of fast food customers are now making technology a prime influential factor in deciding where to eat.

According to “The 2026 Restaurant Tech Report: Add Sauce, Hold the Friction,” a new report from AI supervision tech provider Canopy,  94% of QSR customers “now consider technology when choosing where to eat.” This is up from 80% in 2025.

(Of course, Canopy, being a technology company, has some skin in the game as well.) 

The report, compiled from a recent national survey of 1,007 U.S. adults, also found those same customers have high expectations from QSR tech, with more than 1/3 (37%) abandoning their order altogether if the technology fails.

“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, in a release. “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.”

In terms of what chains are winning at tech, McDonald’s is leading the pack by far, with 34% of respondents reporting it “offered the best technology experience.” Chick-fil-A came in a distant second place for best tech at 18%, with Taco Bell third at 8%. 

The golden arches also took the top spot for best app downloads (49%), followed by Starbucks (29%) and Chick-fil-A (28%).

Kiosks are increasing in adoption, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to a better ordering experience. While 67% of QSR customers report using kiosks, only 20% felt they actually worked “every time.”

Tipping tech is a sticking point with customers, with 29% stating they “changed how they order, chosen another restaurant or left without completing an order because of a tip prompt.”

Car customers are increasingly finding AI at the drive-thru, with exposure increasing 60% over last year. Many customers reported that while voice ordering has improved since last year, the way AI answers questions still needs some work.