Nearly Half of Canadian Hotel and Resort Operators Say Staffing Shortages Are Hurting Service — and Tech May Be the Fix
Canadian hospitality is in a defining moment. As the cost of living is driving 3 in 4 Canadians to skip dining out, the guest experience has never mattered more, while operators are working with less.
Operators across the country are juggling staffing gaps, rising costs, and new expectations from guests who want everything faster, smoother, and more personal. It’s not a question of whether to modernize anymore — it’s how to do it without losing the warmth and human touch that hospitality is built on.
The 2025 Canadian Hospitality Service Report, conducted by Silverware and Angus Reid, surveyed 220 Canadian hospitality professionals and reveals what’s really happening behind the front desk and how operators are adapting.
The data shows an industry at a crossroads: technology is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity. Across hotels, resorts, and restaurants, operators are rethinking how technology can give staff more time, protect guest satisfaction and strengthen the experience that keeps people coming back.
Hospitality is still human, but it’s running out of minutes
• Younger staff want faster, easier-to-use tech; mid-career teams value efficiency; older staff prefer reliability and ROI.
Hospitality is still human, but it’s running out of minutes
Burnout and labour shortages are a very real issue, and time is not on the side of operators.
Nearly half (46%) of hotel and resort operators say staff shortages have affected their ability to deliver timely service over the past year, moreso than restaurant and bar operators, at 31%. And the ripple effects show up in delayed orders, slow checkouts and stretched-thin teams doing their best to keep up.
Service delays now top guest complaints (31% overall, and 44% among restaurants and bars). For hotels, 39% cite “not enough staff” as the most common feedback.
Operators aren’t short on passion — they’re short on time. Every extra click, re-entered order or tech glitch chips away at the experience.
Staffing pain runs deepest in Atlantic Canada and B.C. (32%), followed closely by Alberta (30%). Saskatchewan and Manitoba stand out for inefficiencies behind the line — 43% cite staff shortages and 13% inefficient kitchen operations. These regional differences suggest the same problem shows up differently: in some markets, it’s not headcount but workflow.
Tech modernization is invisible, but connected
For years, “restaurant tech” meant adding gadgets. Today, tech simply means making everything work together.
According to the survey, 35% of operators now rank integration as their top priority when evaluating new systems — more than double those who cite cost (15%). Fewer barriers are more important than shiny features, because everyone feels it when systems fail.
Nearly half (48%) of respondents said a single day of POS downtime would lead to major revenue loss. Among restaurants, that number jumps to 54%. Hotels worry just as much about reputation: 39% say even brief outages would damage guest satisfaction.
What generations value tech innovation?
Younger staff prioritize quick, responsive systems and strong vendor support to keep pace with fast-moving service environments.
Mid-career teams look for balanced solutions — seamless integration and cost efficiency that simplify operations and maximize output.
Experienced staff value dependable systems that support long-term ROI and consistency over flashy new tools.
While IT is sometimes forgotten about when thinking about restaurant operations, it’s an important part of the service promise. When technology runs quietly in the background, staff can focus on guests.
Younger staff (18–34) prioritize speed and vendor support, while mid-career teams (35–54) focus on integration and cost efficiency. Older staff (55+) strike a balance between reliability, support, and ROI — emphasizing stability over novelty. For operators rolling out upgrades, that mix points to one thing: tech decisions should match how different teams actually work, not just what looks good in a demo.
People and precision are the right investments
The data shows operators are more focused on modernizing behind the scenes. Over the next two years, 31% plan to invest in staff-productivity tools like automated scheduling and labour management, while 22% are upgrading to integrated POS or PMS platforms. The goal isn’t to replace staff — it’s to give them space to focus on service.
That could mean handheld devices that allow servers to send orders directly to the kitchen, dashboards that forecast staffing needs in real time, or systems that eliminate the need to re-enter data. These small efficiencies add up to smoother service and happier teams.
Regional differences in investment
Québec leads in modernization, with 47% planning to add staff-productivity tools and 32% investing in integrated POS/PMS platforms. B.C. leans toward guest-facing mobile tools (16%), while Saskatchewan and Manitoba rank highest for productivity investments (40%).
The story is clear: every region is modernizing, but priorities reflect local realities — from guest demand to staffing availability.
The real cost of standing still
Rising costs remain the top business concern for 39% of operators, followed by fears of an economic slowdown (32%). But the quieter risk, the one few talk about, is standing still.
Guests aren’t waiting for the industry to catch up. They’ve come to expect seamless digital experiences everywhere else in their lives. A delayed check, a missed room-service order, or a clunky payment flow doesn’t just frustrate them — it breaks the illusion of care that defines hospitality.
The operators who will win aren’t chasing the next big tech trend. They’re finding ways to make the tools they already have work smarter, together, and in service of their people.
Because at the end of the day, guests don’t remember the software — they remember how effortless it all felt.
What comes next
The path forward isn’t about adding more tools — it’s about using technology to restore the rhythm of service. Start with integration, so data and communication can flow more cleanly between systems. Give staff time to test and train before rolling out upgrades more broadly. And focus on the touchpoints that impact speed, accuracy and consistency.
When tech supports people instead of overwhelming them, the service feels more personal rather than disconnected. The future of hospitality will belong to operators who build that balance.