Are restaurants still surviving without an app in 2026?

Restaurant app development is no longer about being trendy. It’s about control. Control over orders, customer data, loyalty, and margins. Restaurants relying only on third-party platforms often lose visibility into customer behavior and pay high commissions. A dedicated app helps restaurants manage direct orders, personalize offers, and build repeat business without intermediaries. What’s interesting now is how apps are moving beyond ordering into subscriptions, smart menus, and AI-driven recommendations.