**Phoenix, Arizona**: Qu has introduced a pioneering Smart Kitchen platform at the 2025 Restaurant Leadership Conference, integrating IoT, energy management, and AI-driven predictive maintenance to help restaurants reduce costs, improve equipment life, and optimise operations amid rising expenses and operational challenges.
Qu, a leading provider of unified commerce solutions for enterprise restaurants, has introduced a pioneering Smart Kitchen platform aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and cutting costs across back-of-house activities. The announcement was made at the 2025 Restaurant Leadership Conference (RLC) held in Phoenix, Arizona.
This innovative system integrates Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, energy and equipment management tools, and predictive analytics to provide restaurant operators with comprehensive real-time insights and control over kitchen operations. Built upon Qu’s data-first architecture, the platform offers features such as continuous equipment monitoring, energy consumption optimisation, and predictive maintenance functionalities, creating what the company describes as one of the most advanced smart kitchen solutions available.
The launch arrives amid growing financial pressures on the restaurant industry, with repair and maintenance costs having increased by 31% since 2019, according to the 2025 State of Repairs Report from 86 Repairs. Additionally, energy expenditure now accounts for nearly 6% of average restaurant operating expenses per The Carbon Trust, while equipment downtime is estimated to cost the sector $46 billion annually.
Qu’s CEO, Amir Hudda, highlighted the relevance of this technological advancement, stating, “Restaurants are facing an operational tipping point. Operators and franchisees are under intense pressure to cut costs without compromising performance. Our ground-breaking Smart Kitchen gives them the advanced tools they need to meet those challenges head-on, unlike anything before — reducing energy use, extending equipment life and building more efficient, consistent operations across every location.”
Key capabilities within the Smart Kitchen platform include:
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Energy Intelligence: Monitoring and optimising energy consumption of kitchen equipment with potential reductions in utility costs by up to 15%.
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Real-Time Equipment Monitoring and Alerting: Using digital twin technology to track performance and promptly identify issues, enabling proactive maintenance.
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Predictive Maintenance: Employing artificial intelligence to detect early warning signs of equipment failure, thereby minimising downtime and repair expenses.
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Remote Equipment Control: Allowing operators to adjust equipment settings remotely, ensuring flexibility and rapid response.
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Temperature and Environmental Control: Continuously overseeing refrigeration and HVAC systems to ensure food safety compliance and comfortable working conditions.
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AI-Powered Forecasting: Predicting guest traffic and demand fluctuations on an hourly basis by analysing historical data and real-time inputs, facilitating better food preparation accuracy, waste reduction, and staff scheduling.
These new features enhance Qu’s existing back-of-house technology suite, such as its Kitchen Display System (KDS) and Production Optimisation Board, culminating in a unified platform tailored for modern kitchen management. Restaurants adopting Qu’s technology have reported returns on investment reaching up to threefold within the first year, attributable to energy savings, prolonged equipment lifespan, and improved consistency of output.
Manuel Schönfeld, Senior Vice President of Infrastructure and Innovation at Qu, commented on the system’s significance: “This kind of end-to-end control simply hasn’t existed in one solution until now. As kitchens adopt more advanced equipment from a growing mix of manufacturers, a unified platform becomes essential. By connecting data across power, equipment and production systems, we’re helping operators gain critical visibility and proactively detect anomalies — before they turn into costly disasters.”
A notable aspect of Qu’s platform is its interoperability, designed to accommodate a diverse range of kitchen equipment irrespective of manufacturer. It collects real-time data from various sensors and energy monitors, providing a holistic overview of kitchen and building performance. This infrastructure further prepares the ground for an upcoming Device Orchestration Platform that will enable advanced automation across mixed hardware environments.
At the RLC, Qu also demonstrated a new guest-facing Order Ready Board intended to enhance transparency for digital pickup orders and improve in-store customer flow.
Reflecting on the comprehensive nature of the system, Hudda said, “The kitchen is the core of every restaurant, but until now, it’s been disconnected from the rest of the tech stack. This revolutionary solution brings critical systems together to improve performance, reduce costs and deliver better experiences for staff and guests — all while driving sustainability goals forward.”
Visitors to the Restaurant Leadership Conference can experience Qu’s Smart Kitchen solution firsthand at booth #338. Additionally, on Tuesday, 15 April, at 11:45 a.m. MT, Qu will host an innovation forum titled “How the Fastest-Growing Brands are Unlocking Value with Unified Data & AI” at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.
Qu operates out of Arlington, Virginia, and specialises in cloud-native Unified Commerce Platforms for quick-service and fast-casual restaurant formats. The company is supported by leading industry investors and entrepreneurs, including Cota Capital, Enlightened Hospitality Investments, Bobby Cox Companies, and NRD Capital.
Source: Noah Wire Services
