Why Restaurant Technology Should Be Designed For People, Not Just Performance

Brianne (Lane) Harvey, Director of Process + IT, Apicii Hospitality

Brianne (Lane) Harvey is a restaurant technology leader with 20+ years at the intersection of operations, systems, and scale. A CTO, SaaS founder, and digital transformation advisor, she helps hospitality businesses implement people-first technology that drives efficiency, empowers teams, and delivers sustainable growth without losing the human core of hospitality.

In an exclusive interview with Food and Beverage Tech Review, Brianne Harvey shared her views on how technology in restaurants can succeed when it is designed around the people who use it, not just the features it offers.

Restaurant Tech: From Paper Success to Operational Struggle

Most restaurant technology initiatives fail not because the technology is bad, but because the environment dropped into is already under strain.

On paper, the plan usually makes sense. The software promises efficiency, visibility, or cost control. Leadership signs off, timelines are set, and success is defined by implementation milestones. But restaurants don’t operate on paper. They operate in motion, under pressure, with real people making hundreds of decisions a day while juggling guests, staffing gaps, and time constraints.

What’s often missing is ownership of how the technology fits into the rhythm of the work. Systems are selected for features rather than for how they’ll be used during a busy service. Workflows are designed away from the floor. Training is treated as a one-time event instead of an ongoing process. The result is a gap between intention and reality.

There is also a tendency to confuse “installed” with “adopted.” A system can be fully implemented and still quietly worked around because it adds friction instead of removing it. Frontline teams are resourceful. If a tool slows them down or doesn’t reflect how the operation actually runs, they’ll find another way.

Technology struggles when it is introduced as a solution before the problem is fully understood. Tools can amplify good operations, but they can’t compensate for unresolved complexity.

Human-Centered Design and Tech Adoption

Human-centered design shifts the question from “What can this system do?” to “What does this team need in order to do their job well?”

Frontline restaurant teams work in an environment where speed, clarity, and confidence matter more than features. When technology reflects their reality, adoption becomes natural rather than enforced. The system feels like support instead of surveillance.

In practice, this means respecting how people think and move through their day. A host doesn’t have time to navigate multiple screens to seat a guest. A manager shouldn’t need a manual to run payroll or pull a report. When workflows align with how tasks are already performed, technology fades into the background and becomes part of the operation.

“Technology should remove unnecessary strain so people can perform well naturally. When the human experience is respected, performance tends to follow.”

Human-centered design also acknowledges that training happens under pressure. Turnover is real, time is limited, and learning curves need to be short. Intuitive systems reduce cognitive load and help teams gain confidence quickly, which directly impacts consistency and morale.

Perhaps most importantly, designing for people builds trust. When teams see that leadership has chosen tools that respect their time and intelligence, they are more open to change.

Usability, Workflows, and Staff Training

Usability is often treated as a nice-to-have, but in restaurants, it is foundational. Intuitive workflows don’t just make systems easier to learn; they shape how smoothly the operation runs.

When a system is designed well, training shifts from explanation to reinforcement. New team members don’t need to memorize steps, they understand the flow. That reduces training time, which matters in an industry where turnover is high and time is scarce.

Operational friction shows up in small moments that add up quickly. Extra clicks. Confusing labels. Steps that feel out of order. Each one pulls attention away from guests and toward the system. Over the course of a shift, those moments create frustration and increase the likelihood of workarounds.

Intuitive workflows remove unnecessary decisions. They guide users through tasks in a predictable way, even under pressure. When people feel comfortable with a system, they’re more likely to use it correctly, which leads to better data and fewer downstream issues.

Balancing Metrics and Human Experience

Performance metrics matter, but they’re incomplete on their own. Numbers can tell you what’s happening, but rarely explain why or how sustainable it is.

One common mistake is optimizing for metrics without considering the cost of achieving them. A system might improve reporting accuracy or labor percentages, but if it requires teams to wrestle with rigid workflows, the long-term impact is burnout and disengagement.

Strong leaders pay attention to friction as closely as they track KPIs. Where do teams hesitate? Where do shortcuts appear? Those moments are as informative as dashboards. When systems are difficult to use, data quality suffers, and the metrics themselves become less reliable.

Technology should remove unnecessary strain so people can perform well naturally. When the human experience is respected, performance tends to follow.

Practical Steps for Supportive Technology

The first step is slowing down before adding something new. Many technology issues come from layering tools on top of unresolved process problems. Leaders need clarity on what they’re solving and who will feel the impact most directly.

Involving frontline teams early makes a real difference. Observing how work actually gets done and listening to where friction exists often reveals insights that aren’t visible from demos or reports.

Training should be ongoing, not a one-time event. Systems evolve, teams change, and expectations shift. Providing refreshers and accessible support signals long-term commitment.

Clear ownership also matters. Every system needs a defined owner who understands both the technology and the operation. When accountability is vague, systems stagnate. When it’s clear, adoption improves.

Finally, leaders should regularly reassess whether a tool is still earning its place. Simplifying or removing technology that creates more work than value can be just as powerful as adding something new.

When hospitality organizations approach technology with intention and empathy, systems stop feeling like obstacles and start functioning as quiet support. That’s when technology does its best work, when it helps people do theirs.