RFPs (Requests for Proposals) are an essential part of selecting the right technology solutions for restaurants, yet the process is often complex, time-consuming, and inconsistent across the industry. During MURTEC 2025, Skip Kimpel, President and CEO, Magicgate and Christopher Sebes, Partner, Results thru Strategy discussed how standardizing RFPs—specifically by leveraging the Restaurant Technology Network’s (RTN) standards—can make the process more efficient, transparent, and effective for both restaurant operators and technology providers.
The Challenge: Lack of Industry Standards
Unlike other industries where technology standards have long been in place, the restaurant industry has been slow to adopt universal guidelines for technology integrations. Kimpel, who has worked in industries where standardization is the norm, noted his surprise at the restaurant sector’s lack of established frameworks.
Sebes emphasized the critical need for interoperability—the ability for different restaurant technologies to communicate seamlessly. Without common standards, restaurants are forced to navigate a maze of custom integrations, making it difficult to swap out or upgrade key systems like point-of-sale (POS) platforms, labor management tools, and kitchen solutions.
RTN’s Role in Standardization
Sebes and Kimpel discussed how the Restaurant Technology Network (RTN) has been working to establish a set of industry-wide standards that facilitate better data exchange between restaurant technologies. Originally focused on menu data, RTN has expanded its scope to include transaction, customer, inventory, and timekeeping data.
Kimpel clarified that while RTN does not create RFPs for operators, it has published guidance on how to build better ones. The goal is for operators to demand these standards in their RFPs, ensuring that vendors comply and making technology transitions smoother.
Key Takeaways from the Discussion
- Operators Must Drive Adoption
Many vendors are unaware of RTN’s standards or hesitant to adopt them. However, when operators ask for compliance in RFPs, it creates market pressure for vendors to align with industry best practices. Simply including the question, “Do you follow RTN standards?” in an RFP can drive widespread adoption. - Standardization Reduces Complexity and Costs
The current landscape forces vendors to rebuild integrations for every new client, which is time-consuming and costly. RTN’s standards allow vendors to develop integrations once and scale across multiple clients, reducing costs and improving time to market. - Collaboration is Key
RTN brings operators and vendors together to discuss challenges and solutions in a vendor-neutral environment. This collaboration ensures that the standards address real-world needs and help operators navigate POS replacements, menu synchronization, and transactional data challenges more effectively.
The Future of RFPs in Restaurant Tech
As Kimpel and Sebes pointed out, the restaurant industry is playing catch-up compared to hospitality, retail, and other sectors where standards have long been in place. Standardizing RFPs and technology integrations will not only streamline procurement processes but also enhance operational efficiency and innovation.
With freely available RTN standards, the industry has the tools to make meaningful progress. Now, it’s up to restaurant operators, technology providers, and industry leaders to push for adoption and make interoperability the new norm.
