Lines, Pressure and Lost Profits: New Research from Global Payments Highlights the Cost of Order Anxiety at Restaurants

Research highlights the importance of a technology stack that provides a variety of simple ordering channels

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), a leading payment technology and software company that powers commerce for businesses of all sizes worldwide, today released new research revealing the hidden impact of stressful quick service restaurant (QSR) ordering moments, including that 60% of customers say they default to their usual order when rushed, likely ignoring special offers and new items. The survey of 2,000 U.S. QSR customers uncovers the hidden impact of "order anxiety" and how it may be silently shrinking restaurant revenues.

As customers step into a QSR or pull up to a drive-thru, they are faced with a myriad of options that can introduce and amplify anxiety at the point of order, impacting their decisions and ultimately restaurant bottom lines. A variety of factors influence order anxiety for diners, including complicated menus and mounting pressure from long lines behind them.

The findings highlight the opportunities for technology to ease the customer experience and order anxiety.

“Our research shows that 80% of customers would change their habits if ordering was easier, uncovering an opportunity for technology to reduce the stress of ordering and help unlock higher ticket averages,” said Chris Siefken, president of restaurant POS at Global Payments. “Adopting a smarter menu and offering multiple, fully-integrated ordering channels are powerful ways to elevate the guest experience and support revenue growth. Deploying solutions like Genius™, which is designed with simplicity in mind, can help bring every part of a QSR's operation together in one connected platform, allowing the technology to do the heavy lifting so staff can focus on speed, flexibility and an anxiety-free guest experience."

Key research findings:

• Order Anxiety: 29% of respondents say that ordering at a QSR is more stressful than public speaking, and more than 20% say it is more stressful than going through airport security.

• Willingness to Spend: Most respondents (80%) said that easier ordering would change their habits. Nearly half -- 45% -- said they would try new items on the menu, and 17% said they would spend more overall.

• Overwhelming Menus: 63% say they find large menus overwhelming, leading to decision paralysis and missed upsell opportunities.

• Social Pressure: 64% say they are extremely or very aware of people waiting behind them in line, and 48% cite a long line as their top stressor.

• Complexity and Lost Revenue: 37% say they have abandoned an order because the process felt rushed, unclear or uncomfortable.

“Diners want an ordering experience that works for them,” Siefken continued. “Providing ordering flexibility through mobile, kiosk and point of sale options helps to maximize the opportunity for customers to discover new menu items, create their ideal order and receive the service experience that fits their needs and lifestyle.”

Dive deeper into the findings and read the full research report here: globalpayments.com/insights/qsr-order-anxiety.

Global Payments will unveil its new AI-first handheld and kiosk configurations at the National Restaurant Association Show (NRA) in Chicago, May 16 to 19 (booth #6427). This year marks the one-year anniversary of Genius following its launch at NRA in 2025. Genius brings pressure-tested reliability to restaurants of all sizes, from neighborhood coffee shops and high-volume drive-thrus to food trucks and global franchises with complex kitchen workflows. For more information, visit globalpayments.com/genius.

Methodology

This research is based on a quantitative survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers who had eaten at or ordered from a QSR in the past six months. It was conducted in March 2026 by Global Payments Consumer Insights.

About Global Payments

Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) is a leading payment technology and software company that powers commerce for businesses of all sizes worldwide. We help businesses grow with confidence by delivering innovative solutions that enable seamless payment acceptance, smarter operations and exceptional client experiences – online, in store and everywhere in between. With its global reach, local expertise and scale, Global Payments manages trillions in payments volume and billions of transactions across more than 175 countries. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Global Payments is a Fortune 500® company and a member of the S&P 500. Learn more at company.globalpayments.com.