Restaurant automation software uses connected tools like digital ordering automation, marketing automation, and loyalty automation to reduce repetitive work, speed up service, and help operators control labor without sacrificing hospitality. The best systems streamline restaurant operations by routing orders more accurately, simplifying training, and keeping guests engaged so staff can focus on the experience instead of busywork.
Rising labor costs and staffing shortages are reshaping the restaurant industry. According to the National Restaurant Association, labor costs ran well above historical averages for most restaurants last year, causing significant financial stress.
For many operators, the challenge is clear: how do you reduce restaurant labor costs while maintaining great service and protecting margins, especially with leaner teams?
Modern restaurant automation tools can help. Today's solutions go beyond "nice-to-have" tech — they're practical systems that remove low-value tasks from daily workflows, helping teams stay efficient during peak hours and consistent across channels.
Why are labor costs the biggest challenge for restaurants today?
Operators report that labor-related pressures affect everything from service speed to profitability. When such a large portion of expenses is tied to labor, the ability to do more with less becomes essential.
Payroll can account for over 30% of expenses at many restaurants, making it the highest controllable cost for operators. When costs climb this quickly, the ability to do more with less isn't just helpful — it's essential.
At the same time, staffing shortages, turnover, recruiting challenges, and scheduling gaps can strain day-to-day operations. When fewer hands are available, teams are under more pressure to keep service running smoothly. That pressure can lead to burnout, inconsistent guest experiences, and slower order flow.
This is where restaurant automation software comes in: not to replace people, but to support them. By taking routine work off staff plates (menu updates, order management, marketing follow-ups), automation helps stabilize service even when staffing is tight.
What counts as restaurant automation in 2026 (and what doesn't)
When people hear "automation," they may think of robotics or expensive back-of-house hardware. But for most restaurants today, the most impactful automation is digital — and it lives inside ordering, marketing, and loyalty systems.
Here are common examples of restaurant tech automation that can make an immediate difference:
Digital ordering automation: Digital ordering systems send orders directly to the kitchen or POS, reducing manual re-entry and minimizing mistakes. That means higher throughput and cleaner tickets, especially during peak times.
Self-serve ordering: Tools like QR code menus and kiosks let guests browse, order, and pay on their own timelines. This can reduce front-of-house strain and shorten wait times without compromising hospitality.
Marketing automation: Email automation helps restaurants promote specials and deals based on customer behavior and sales patterns automatically. Instead of spending hours building email lists and creating one-off blasts, teams can set up campaigns that run in the background and still feel relevant.
DoorDash's automated email marketing uses diner order insights and analytics to help create branded, targeted emails that bring customers back more often, boosting order frequency by 15% on average¹.
"By working with DoorDash, we're able to grab an entirely new customer base while building on our existing customer base."
Learn more about automated email and marketing workflows on DoorDash.
Loyalty automation: The old-school punch card can work — but it's easy to lose, forget, or underuse. With loyalty automation, rewards and re-engagement offers can trigger automatically at the right moments, helping restaurants bring guests back more often without manual tracking.
How does restaurant automation software reduce labor costs?
Automation is most powerful when it makes everyday work easier. For restaurants facing thin margins, restaurant automation software offers practical, measurable advantages and helps answer the question operators are asking most: how to reduce restaurant labor costs without cutting into service quality.
Here are four ways automation can help:
1. Reduce repetitive work: Tasks like entering orders, updating menu items across platforms, or reconciling orders can add up to hours each week. Automation cuts manual effort, reduces errors, and frees staff to spend time on higher-impact work.
Examples include:
Automatic order routing to kitchen/POS
Centralized menu and availability updates
Automated post-purchase email follow-ups
2. Simplify training for new hires: New employees can ramp faster when systems are intuitive and centralized. Streamlined order flows and automated routing reduce confusion, shorten training time, and help teams feel confident sooner.
3. Increase efficiency without adding headcount: Faster order processing helps restaurants serve more guests without staffing up for every rush. Automated routing and clearer handoffs keep kitchens focused on cooking, not chasing down missing details.
4. Improve accuracy (and reduce costly mistakes): Fewer manual touches mean fewer order errors. That can reduce waste, minimize comps and remakes, improve guest satisfaction, and strengthen margins over time.
DoorDash Commerce Platform as your virtual team member
DoorDash Commerce Platform centralizes key automations into one streamlined system. Think of it as a virtual team member that supports busy operators across online ordering, marketing, and retention.
DoorDash gives you access to simple marketing tools and services designed to help you increase reach, streamline restaurant operations, and drive incremental sales.
Here's how DoorDash Commerce Platform supports automation in daily workflows:
All tools in one system: DoorDash Commerce Platform lives in the Merchant Portal alongside your DoorDash Marketplace operations, bringing third-party and direct online ordering together in one place. This consolidation cuts down on tool-switching and streamlines team workflows — especially helpful for smaller teams.
DoorDash Commerce Platform Boost and Pro packages offer even more:
Automated email marketing: DoorDash Commerce Platform’s Boost and Pro packages include an easy-to-use automated email marketing that helps restaurants drive repeat business — without requiring staff to schedule emails or build segmented lists. This is especially valuable for teams balancing marketing with daily operations.
Loyalty tools included: The Pro package includes an automated loyalty program and customer retention tools designed to keep guests engaged. When loyalty runs quietly in the background, teams can focus on service while the system helps encourage return visits.
Learn more about building customer loyalty with DoorDash.
Will restaurant automation replace staff?
Restaurant automation software is meant to support teams, not replace them. The National Restaurant Association's 2024 State of the Restaurant Industry report emphasizes the importance of balancing human skills and automation, noting that 69% of operators believe technology will augment rather than replace human labor.
The real goal is to create an environment where employees can do their best work without being bogged down by manual processes.
People remain essential: Guests come to restaurants for hospitality, connection, and human interaction. Automation can handle logistics, but people create the dining experience — greeting guests, making recommendations, solving problems, and building loyalty.
Better morale and retention: When workflows are simpler, teams feel more in control. Restaurant automation tools can reduce burnout by removing operational friction and giving staff more time for meaningful work.
A balanced human–tech partnership: The right combination of people and technology can help reduce labor costs while improving consistency. Automation supports a smoother behind-the-scenes operation, so teams can deliver a more enjoyable service experience.
Automation helps you work smarter, not harder
Automation isn't about cutting corners — it's about giving your team the tools they need to succeed. By reducing repetitive tasks, improving accuracy, streamlining ordering, and enhancing marketing, restaurants can reduce labor costs, stabilize operations, and create better work environments.
See how DoorDash Commerce Platform helps restaurants save time, and do more with less.
¹ Based on internal DoorDash data from Mar 2024 through Mar 2025
