Solving Real Problems
At its core, Forte aims to simplify and connect the restaurant tech stack. For operators juggling multiple systems, the lack of a unified view can hinder performance and decision-making.
“With slices of data spread across multiple restaurant applications, it’s hard to get a clear, unified view of operations and performance.” said Looney. “We bring it all back together.”
Forte provides:
- Financially accurate sales and labor data
- Automated reconciliation across POS, delivery and accounting
- Flags potential payroll compliance issues
- Alerts on operational anomalies
- Real-time team communication and task tracking
- Customizable reporting for actionable insights
Forte surfaces performance metrics and targets so that teams are working toward the same goals, leading to high performing, streamlined operators with clean data driving confident decisions.
Early Results and Operator Impact
Initial implementations have already delivered measurable ROI. “Operators are saving hours each week on reconciliation, identifying compliance risks before they become problems, surfacing operational improvements, and feeling more confident in their reporting,” said Looney. “We are focused on delivering value from day one, and and that’s what we’re hearing so far.”
A Company Built for What’s Next
Listening to and responding to our customer’s needs and building flexible solutions that can be carried forward are top tech priorities, Looney expained. To that end, Forte’s near-term roadmap includes expanding integrations, automating more workflows, and enhancing feature depth—all with a consistent focus on flexibility and scalability.
Their first production release, Spring 2025, laid the technical foundation for an enterprise-grade platform, and the team is already deep into development on the Summer 2025 release.
“Seeing ideas come together to improve features, simplify the user experience, and approach problems differently has been incredibly rewarding,” they shared.
Focused on the Future
One of the most exciting trends in hospitality tech right now is how AI is starting to be used in practical, scalable ways by both vendors and operators, they said.
The growing adoption of standards like the Restaurant Technology Network’s (RTN) Transactional Data Standard, can play a crucial role in structuring data to ensure easy, accurate and consistent AI analysis, they added.
“Finding the right combination of data governance, accurate insights, and cost-effective implementations will be key to unlocking substantial value,” they said.
Start with People
When asked what advice they’d give today’s operators, the Forte team didn’t talk tech—they talked culture.
“Treat employees how you want employees to treat your customers,” they emphasized. “This is a central part of our team’s past culture and has been a foundational principle in our creation of Forte. Whether you’re a restaurant operator or vendor, customer-focused hospitality will matter more than ever as AI and technology keep advancing and that starts with how you treat your team.”
Start-Up Alley 2026
The RTN Start-Up Alley competition, at MURTEC 2025: Experience Matters, drew some of the most promising new ideas in restaurant technology, offering a glimpse at the future of the industry, featuring 15 start-ups. Applications for the 2026 RTN Start-Up Alley at MURTEC will open later this year.
