AI use in Canadian Restaurants: Data and Insights

New data from two blind surveys run by Toast, one of 400 Canadian restaurant managers' on general AI adoption and one of 500 Canadian diners on AI and the restaurant experience, reveals differing views on enthusiasm for AI and AI adoption.

Canadian dining in 2026 is competitive, fast-moving, and unforgiving on margin. Operators are absorbing the cost of tariffs, with the price of food and beverages going up 64% in the last year. On top of this, rising costs are eroding restaurant profitability and the pressure doesn't seem to be easing anytime soon.

Against a backdrop where operators are being asked to do more with the same number of hours in the day, AI has stopped being a futuristic talking point. It's one of the present-day drivers of profitability and efficiency for the restaurants already using it.

To find out exactly where AI in Canadian restaurants stands today, we asked 400 Canadian restaurant managers, and 500 Canadian diners in two separate blind surveys. Because how restaurants are using AI operationally is only half the picture. What it actually looks like from the other side of the table matters just as much. Keep reading to find out where both sets of our survey respondents land.

Latest Restaurant AI Statistics

• 89% of Canadian restaurant managers are excited about AI in restaurants but only 49% of the managers we surveyed are actively using one or more AI-powered tools

• 81% of Canadian restaurant managers using AI say it has made their business more profitable over the last year

• 88% of Canadian restaurant managers using AI are saving at least three hours of admin time a week

• 59% of Canadian diners are not excited about AI in restaurants (41% say they are)

• 53% of Canadian diners say their encounters with AI tools when dining out have increased (16% significantly)

• 55% of Canadian diners had no idea some restaurants use AI or algorithms to adjust menu prices, and 62% of Canadian diners say it leaves them with a less favourable view of the restaurant

• 69% of Canadian diners support clearer rules or regulation requiring restaurants to disclose when AI is used to set prices or personalize offers

• 71% believe large restaurant chains hold a competitive advantage because of their use of AI

AI Adoption in Restaurants: Where Canadian Operators Stand Today

The Enthusiasm Gap

Canadian restaurant managers are split on excitement vs actual usage of AI. While 89% say they are excited about AI technology in restaurants, there's caution when it comes to actual tool usage. In fact, of all the Canadian restaurant managers we surveyed, under half (49%) are currently using one or more AI-powered tools in their day-to-day work.

Biggest Barriers to Wider AI Adoption:

When it comes to the reasons why Canadian restaurant managers aren't adopting the technology in a broader way across their restaurants, the top three reasons were:

• The cost of the technology  - 23%

• Lack of integration with existing systems  - 22%

• Lack of know-how or training  - 18%

According to our survey respondents, the biggest barrier to wider AI adoption aside from cost is its lack of integration with existing systems. But AI assistants like Toast IQ that are built for restaurants by integrating into the existing technology platform are becoming more widely available.

Evidence is Key to Building Trust in AI Restaurant Tools

When asked what would most increase Canadian restaurant managers trust in AI tools for restaurant operations, the top factor was the desire to see independent evidence or case studies from similar restaurants (30%).

Practical Steps

The good news is that AI adoption doesn't have to start with a full technology overhaul. Some of the most measurable wins could come from starting small:

• Inventory and food waste. Linking POS and inventory data to flag stock nearing its shelf life, or to generate smarter prep lists before over-ordering becomes a habit.

• Scheduling and admin. Automating the repetitive back-office tasks that eat into a manager's week by using AI tools.

• Transparency with staff. Explaining how and why AI is being used, whether it's in scheduling or inventory tracking, goes a long way towards managing potential employee concern before it takes hold.

• The right tech stack. Prioritize tools that talk to your existing POS or are built directly into your platform, rather than bolting on pricey, disconnected tools.

What AI Adopters are Actually Seeing

According to the Canadian restaurant managers we surveyed who were currently using AI in their day-to-day, Marketing was the top area that their restaurant uses AI for.

When asked which AI use-cases Canadian restaurant managers would be most interested in exploring, inventory management and food waste reduction topped the list. 

There's clearly an appetite for AI restaurant tools that ease day-to-day restaurant management tasks, but what about measurable results that restaurant managers using AI are seeing?

Hours Saved 

When we asked Canadian restaurant managers who use AI tools to name the single most measurable benefit that AI has delivered for their restaurant, "saving management time" came out on top. 

In addition, 88% of the Canadian restaurant managers using AI that we surveyed say they are saving at least three hours of admin time a week with the help of AI restaurant tools. That's a significant chunk of time that can be reinvested into the parts of the job that AI can't do, like providing the human touch with great customer service, or upskilling your team.

An Impact on Profitability

There's perhaps no stronger case for the use of restaurant AI tools than the prospect of real profit. So it's impressive that, among the Canadian restaurant managers we surveyed who are using AI in their restaurants, 81% say it has made their business more profitable over the last year.

AI Staffing and Scheduling Impact

Of the restaurant managers we surveyed who are using AI tools in their day-to-day, 71% of those are using specific AI tools to help build staff schedules.

So it's no surprise then, that 63% of our Canadian restaurant manager survey respondents say they expect AI to play a bigger role in operational decision-making, specifically with staffing and scheduling decisions over the next year.

Giving Restaurant Teams More Time for Hospitality

People are — and will remain — central to memorable hospitality experiences. However, challenging economic conditions are forcing operators to think differently about how they manage costs, capacity and increasingly stretched teams.

As a result, Canadian restaurant managers largely see AI playing a supporting role by handling time-consuming tasks and helping teams work more efficiently. When asked which roles they thought AI would assist rather than replace, Canadian managers mainly pointed to management and admin (31%) and marketing (26%). Chefs and kitchen staff came bottom of the list at 8%.

Tools such as Toast IQ are designed with this supportive role in mind, empowering restaurant teams with proactive, personalized insights across areas including revenue and scheduling — all drawn from their own Toast platform.

Where the Next 12 Months of AI Investment is Going

Looking ahead, managers rank their top five investment priorities for AI over the next 12 months as:

1. Marketing and customer acquisition (23%)

2. Inventory / waste reduction (15%)

3. POS system (13%)

4. Pricing / revenue / menu optimization (12%)

5. Staff scheduling / labour management (10%)

So, while the future of AI restaurant technology is still unwritten, one thing's for sure, our Canadian restaurant managers have big plans for how it could potentially integrate into many areas of their restaurant operations over the next year.

How Canadian Restaurant Guests Feel About AI

Excitement vs. Hesitation

Canadian diners are far less united than managers about the prospect of AI showing up in restaurants. 41% say they are excited about the prospect of AI in restaurants; 59% are not. Compared to 12 months ago, 53% of Canadian diners say their encounters with AI tools when dining out have increased (16% significantly).

When it comes to diners' use of AI in their day-to-day restaurant experiences, 37% say they have noticed and used AI tools in their restaurant visits in the last 12 months. While 25% say they have noticed AI tools in the restaurants they've visited, but haven't directly used them.

The Human in the Loop is Key

44% of the Canadian diners we surveyed named a preference for interacting with human staff as their biggest reason they'd hesitate to use AI tools at a restaurant. Other notable reasons for hesitation included concerns over data and privacy (13%) and concerns about staff losing their jobs (12%).

Canadian diners also draw a clear line around where they'll accept AI and where they won't. The situations rated least appropriate for AI were resolving problems or complaints (25%) and answering questions about allergens and dietary needs (23%). And when asked what would most increase their trust in restaurant AI, the top answer by far, at 48%, was simply "knowing I can easily reach a human if something goes wrong."

So, the lesson about AI in restaurants for operators isn't necessarily to pick one over the other. Instead, it's to use AI where diners don't notice or mind  (a well-timed offer; a smarter inventory count) and protect the human touch exactly where it matters most.

For example, restaurant managers and operators could save time by using AI to write emails, personalizing and automating the send, without losing the voice behind it.

The Dynamic Pricing and Transparency Theme

Against a difficult cost-of-living backdrop, AI-assisted restaurant pricing is making headlines this year. We surveyed diners on their thoughts about it. Here's what we found:

There is an AI Pricing Knowledge Gap

• 55% of Canadian diners had no idea some restaurants use AI or algorithms to adjust menu prices.

Diners Aren't Fully Supportive

• 62% of Canadian diners say that if they knew a restaurant's price for the same item could change based on time, personal data or demand, it would leave them with a less favourable view of the business, describing it as feeling "unfair or manipulative."

There's Concern Around Cost

• A combined 88% of Canadian diners are slightly (24%) moderately (29%) or very (35%) concerned that AI-driven pricing tools will push restaurant meals beyond what they can comfortably afford.

Diners Would Support AI Pricing Regulation

• 69% of Canadian diners support clearer rules or regulation requiring restaurants to disclose when AI is used to set prices or personalize offers (38% strongly, 31% support)

The Restaurant Tech Gap: Chains vs. Independents

In general, Canadian diners see a real imbalance in who benefits most from restaurant AI. According to our consumer survey, 71% believe large restaurant chains hold a competitive advantage because of their use of AI in areas like pricing, marketing, and ordering apps: 21% call it significant, 23% moderate, and 27% slight.

Interestingly, 40% of Canadian diners say they're less likely to choose a restaurant that uses AI over an independent restaurant that doesn't.

That's not necessarily an argument against AI for smaller, independent operators. It's an argument for using it strategically where margins are tight or having a data analyst isn't an option, and for leaning into the human-first strengths of great service where it matters. 

The Verdict: AI in Canadian Restaurants in 2026

AI in Canadian restaurants isn't a future prospect. It's already shaping how restaurants staff, price, and run their businesses day to day. For consumers, trust is a key part of the conversation. Canadian diners are hesitant around AI-informed pricing and they want a human safety net too.

For Canadian managers, the opportunity isn't choosing between AI and hospitality. It's finding the balance: using AI to handle the busywork, so there's more time and headspace for the parts of the job a diner will always notice.

Ready to see what that balance looks like for your restaurant?

Methodology and sources 

Based on two blind surveys conducted by Toast via Pollfish between August 10th and August 22nd 2026, sampling 400 Canadian restaurant managers and 500 Canadian diners. Active AI usage statistics reflect responses from 194 restaurant managers who currently utilize AI tools. Some percentages have been rounded.