Qu Launches Its Business Edge Platform for Restaurants; Onosys Expands Its Web of Partners

Qu POS Inc. says it has bolstered its efforts to modernize the technology stack for quick-service and fast-casual restaurants with the launch of Qu Business Edge, a restaurant-management platform based on edge computing.

The new platform, which combines edge computing with artificial intelligence, enables restaurants to increase sales across online and offline channels, engage in upselling at the point of sale, speed the ordering process, and improve operating efficiencies, Qu says.

Edge computing is said to bring data processing and storage closer to the source of data generation, as opposed to storing data in a centralized cloud server or data center.

Key features of the new platform include the ability to highlight popular menu items during the ordering process to increase upselling opportunities; analyze operating data, such as energy consumption; increase operating efficiency; and reduce operating costs and system downtime.

Reducing downtime is critical as system failure costs the restaurant industry billions in revenue annually. By improving uptime, Qu says its Business Edge platform allows restaurants to maintain full POS functionality kiosk, as well as kitchen-display systems and credit card processing, despite power outages, high-volume periods, and spotty Wi-Finetwork connectivity, the company says.

“Restaurants have long been stuck between brittle client-server systems that crash and cloud-only platforms that fail when the Internet drops—costing the industry over $5.4 billion annually,” Brooke Heinzmann, Qu’s senior director for product marketing, says by email. “Cloud-only platforms not only buckle during outages, but also drive up operating costs with heavy bandwidth demands and recurring fees.”

During the pilot phase, a multibrand fast-casual chain using Qu Business edge increased average check size by 22% through cross-sells on kiosks, while a burger chain doubled drive-through volume from 50 to 100 cars per hour — twice the industry average—while reducing its IT workload by 30%, according to Qu, which did not name the restaurants.

In addition, Taco John’s, a St. Louis Park, Minn.-based fast-food chain, improved order routing to its kitchen-display system, including orders placed via the drive thru, by 80%, Qu says.

“The restaurant industry is at a pivotal moment. Guest loyalty is fragile, labor is tight, and costs continue to rise,” Heinzmann says. “At the same time, digital-first brands are redefining expectations for speed, reliability, and personalization. Restaurants that remain on outdated systems face mounting risks, including costly downtime and operational inefficiencies, as well as lost revenue opportunities.”

In related news, digital-ordering platform provider Onosys has partnered with Qu and Montreal-based Cluster to enable restaurants to connect with leading POS platforms.

Onosys has partnered with several other vendors to enhance its platforms’ loyalty programs, payments acceptance, and delivery capabilities. Onosys is also partnering with Fishbowl Inc. and Incentivio to enable loyalty programs and with Shift4 Payments Inc. to expand the payment options through its platform.

In addition, the company is partnering with delivery-management platform providers Cartwheel and First Delivery to improve and expand delivery operations.

“Restaurants shouldn’t have to compromise on their technology choices. With our growing ecosystem of partners, we’re giving brands the ability to scale faster, deliver richer customer experiences, and remain agile in a competitive market,” Onosys president Chris Anderle says in a statement.