Hospitality leaders say artificial intelligence and technology-led platforms are becoming essential to the sector’s future, as operators face sustained pressure from rising costs, labour shortages and increasing operational complexity.
Since the Covid pandemic, hospitality businesses across the UK have had to contend with higher labour, energy and food costs, alongside increases in business rates and taxation. With limited ability to absorb further rises, many operators are now turning to technology to simplify operations and regain control behind the scenes.
Latest figures from the Business Confidence Survey by CGA by NIQ and Sona highlight the scale of the challenge, showing that only 26% of hospitality leaders feel optimistic about prospects for the next 12 months, a drop of 15% compared with Q2 2025.
Against this backdrop, senior industry figures have been sharing insights with say86, a platform supporting hospitality operators, on the challenges and opportunities with purchasing and cost control that are shaping the industry in 2026.
Paul Gilchrist, CEO of Thunderbird Chicken, said rising costs have made technology-enabled procurement increasingly critical: “With operational costs continuing to rise, having greater control and visibility over suppliers is essential. Smarter, technology-led procurement helps protect margins while still enabling operators to deliver the seamless guest experiences customers expect.”
Dino Sura, CEO of Burger & Lobster, said: “Labour stability remains a major challenge, which makes it even more important to remove friction elsewhere in the business. Digitally supported procurement reduces operational noise and allows teams to focus on service rather than sourcing.”
Nigel Doughty, ex-MD of Subway UK said: “As the industry moves from recovery to reinvention, procurement and supplier management can no longer be fragmented or reactive. AI-enabled platforms that bring efficiency, consistency and scale into day-to-day operations will play an increasingly central role.”
Independent operators are also seeing technology as a route to resilience. Harvey Simpson, owner of Makers House in Norwich, said: “Procurement has traditionally been time-consuming and reactive for independents. Platforms such as say86, which use technology to intelligently connect operators with relevant suppliers, free up time and give businesses far greater control.”
According to Tim Mills, CEO and host of the say86 Hospitality Podcast, technology will be a key component in managing businesses in the years ahead. Tim said: “This is a defining moment for hospitality. Operators who modernise their operations and adopt technology thoughtfully will be best placed to improve efficiency and consistency, while preserving the human touch that underpins great guest experiences. The focus for the year ahead should be on tools that integrate seamlessly into daily operations and genuinely support teams on the ground.”
Taking its name from the hospitality term used when an item runs out, the say86 Hospitality Podcast offers a monthly deep dive into the trends, challenges and innovations shaping the hospitality sector today with insight from top industry experts.
To listen to the latest episodes, visit https://open.spotify.com/show/2KQgCzOIjOR7wWVfry9YTV.
Free for operators, say86 is an AI-driver platform designed to help hospitality businesses manage ongoing cost and labour pressures by simplifying how they source products and services. For more information on say86, visit www.say86.com.