How MACH and Composability are Transforming the QSR Industry

The quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry is changing fast, driven by shifting customer preferences, digital transformation, and growing competition. The numbers tell the story quite well. According to the Business Research Company, the QSR market is expected to grow from $311.54 billion in 2024 to $330.56 billion in 2025, with a solid CAGR of 6.1%.

Imagine using AI to create personalized menus, loyalty programs that truly reward diners’ favorites, and putting the fast in fast food with speedy ordering, checkout, and delivery. But here’s a catch – many QSRs are stuck with old technology that is making it harder to move quickly and scale effectively. 

That’s where composability and the MACH mindset come in. By embracing MACH – short for Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless – QSRs can address these challenges and build a future-proof, scalable business.

What are the challenges in the QSR industry?

1. Fragmented customer journeys

Today’s customers interact with brands everywhere – mobile apps, kiosks, delivery platforms, and websites. But when these channels don’t connect, it creates confusion and frustration.

Imagine placing an order through an app, only to find out the offer isn’t valid at an in-store kiosk. Experiences like this not only break trust but also hinder customer satisfaction. 

2. Fierce competition in a crowded marketplace

Aggregator platforms have become the go-to for convenience, but they’ve also made the market more crowded than ever.

“Aggregator platforms continue to gain market share, offering customers convenience and choice,” said Chris Phylactou, Managing Director of Papa John’s UK. “This increasing saturation makes it harder for brands to stand out.”

Standing out in such a competitive space requires agility to create unique value – whether it’s through personalized deals, exclusive menu items, or standout loyalty perks. Brands that fail to innovate quickly risk falling behind competitors who are more adaptable to changing customer demands.

3. The weight of legacy systems

Many QSRs find themselves struggling to balance the need for innovation with tight operational budgets. Legacy systems often consume significant IT spending, leaving little room to introduce new features.

Think about the delays in integrating AI-driven recommendations or launching personalized promotions. Legacy systems limit scalability and drain resources that could be better spent on delivering what customers want. 

4. Inability to break cycles with vendor contracts

Inflexible vendor contracts often leave QSRs unable to implement changes or adopt new technologies. Locked into long release cycles and high maintenance costs, brands often struggle to keep up with market demands. The inability to quickly implement changes or adopt new technologies leaves brands feeling stuck, unable to compete effectively.

5. Operational inefficiencies and scaling challenges

Behind the scenes, inefficiencies can derail even the most creative campaigns. Manual workflows and disconnected tools often lead to errors, delays, and inconsistencies. Old legacy systems often crumble under pressure during order spikes, seasonal promotions, or product launches, causing slowdowns or outages.

For example, imagine a nationwide campaign rolling out unevenly – some regions launch on time, while others miss out entirely. These missteps confuse diners and hurt operational resilience, making it harder for QSRs to keep things running smoothly.

7. Failing short on personalization and customer satisfaction

Generic messaging or experiences are no longer enough. Customers expect brands to know them and cater to their preferences. 

Sending irrelevant offers – like promoting meat dishes to vegetarians –  not only wastes budget but also alienates customers who expect you to know them better. Without the ability to tailor experiences at scale, QSRs risk losing trust and falling behind.

How composability transforms QSR brands?

Composability might sound technical, but at its core, it’s all about flexibility and control. Think of composable architecture like building blocks for your tech stack. Instead of relying on one massive, rigid system that does everything (and maybe not very well), composable technology lets you mix and match the best tools to meet your unique needs.

With a composable approach, QSRs can pick specialized components – like a powerful promotions engine, a dynamic loyalty program, or an advanced customer data platform – and easily connect them. 

This modular setup isn’t just more efficient; it’s future-proof. If a new tool or feature comes along, you can simply swap it in without overhauling your entire tech stack. 

So, what does this mean in practice? 

1. Adapt fast to changing QSR customer demands

Customer preferences are always shifting – one year it’s all about mobile apps, the next, kiosks take center stage. With composable architecture, QSRs can quickly adjust to trends. 

Whether it’s launching a personalized deal, tweaking an existing offer, or integrating with a new delivery platform, you can respond in real-time to meet customer expectations and stay ahead of the competition.

2. Scale across channels and regions

Expanding into new channels, touchpoints, or regions can feel like a daunting task, especially with legacy tech slowing you down. Adding or removing features, launching in new markets, or adapting to customer needs shouldn’t take forever – but with older systems, it often does, as they require significant resources to make even small changes.

Composable tools make it easier. Whether it’s rolling out updates across apps, kiosks, or launching in a new region, you can get things up and running faster without overhauling the entire system. And it doesn’t stop there. You can also deliver personalized offers without building everything from scratch. Think regional favorites or deals that reflect local trends, plugged right into your existing system.

3. Reduce IT costs by moving away from on-premise fees

Legacy systems often come with hefty on-premise license fees, locking you into expensive long-term contracts for software that may not even meet your needs anymore.

Composable architecture eliminates this burden by enabling you to shift to pay-as-you-go cloud solutions. Instead of paying for outdated systems, you can invest in the tools and services that actually drive your business forward – saving money while creating room for faster innovation.

4. Empower employees with better tools

Composable tech isn’t better just for customers – it makes life easy for your employees too. With intuitive, interconnected systems, your team can focus on delivering exceptional service instead of battling outdated tools.

Think about how much simpler training becomes when your front-line teams use modern, intuitive technology. Or how much faster operations flow when backend systems communicate effectively. Composable architecture empowers your team with tools that make their jobs more efficient and less stressful, improving morale and productivity.

5. Break free from legacy limitations and vendor lock-in

Legacy systems are like an old car: expensive to maintain, clunky to drive, and prone to constant breakdowns. Composability offers a way out by allowing QSRs to replace monolithic architectures with modular, API-first components. 

This means you can swap out or upgrade specific functionalities – like a promotions engine or customer data platform – without overhauling the entire system.

Additionally, composable architecture empowers QSRs to take full ownership of their tech stack. Modular, API-first solutions empower teams to select and update individual components without waiting on vendors. 

6. Innovate faster to meet customer expectations

A composable approach means QSRs aren’t reinventing the wheel every time they want to launch a new feature, campaign, or initiative. Instead, they can pull from existing tools, integrate technologies like AI-driven recommendations, and quickly adapt to evolving trends without costly delays.

This modular setup allows QSRs to experiment with emerging innovations, test new customer engagement strategies, and deploy updates faster. Over time, this translates to shorter time-to-market, fewer errors, and better ROI.

And since you’re not tied to a monolithic structure, you can outsource specific needs to third-party services. This reduces the need for in-house development and significantly cuts costs without sacrificing quality. 

7. Maintain stability and resilience during demand spikes

In the fast-paced QSR industry, sudden spikes in demand – whether from seasonal promotions, new product launches, or unexpected events – can overwhelm traditional systems, leading to slowdowns or outages. These disruptions hurt customer trust and impact revenue.

Composable systems, especially those built on cloud-native principles, provide the stability needed to handle high traffic volumes without compromising performance. By isolating components and scaling resources as needed, QSRs can maintain operations and deliver reliable experiences, even during the busiest of times.

8. Build loyalty through personalized QSR experiences

Loyalty isn’t just about points – it’s about creating meaningful relationships with customers. Composable architecture empowers QSRs to deliver personalized rewards programs, exclusive offers, and tailored experiences that resonate with individual preferences.

For example, integrating real-time data across touchpoints lets you recognize and reward repeat customers consistently – whether they order through an app, at a kiosk, or in-store. This flexibility also allows you to design creative loyalty campaigns, like tiered rewards or referral incentives, that keep customers engaged and coming back for more.

Learn more: Discover Voucherify’s Open Source Loyalty Accelerator for Omnichannel Retail

Building a better and safer QSR space together with MACH Alliance

In the fast-paced world of QSR, staying ahead means embracing technology that’s not just agile but also future-proof. This is where MACH steps in to improve how QSRs operate. 

1. Microservices: Freedom to innovate

With MACH, your system is broken into smaller, independent services that work together. This means your promotions engine, loyalty program, or customer feedback tool can be updated or replaced without touching the rest of your setup.

For QSRs, this translates to freedom to experiment, innovate, and roll out features quickly, all while minimizing risks. Want to try AI-powered menu personalization? Plug it in without disrupting your existing tech.

2. API-first: Connect and scale effortlessly

APIs are the glue that holds MACH together. By being API-first, MACH ensures that every component in your stack can communicate effectively with others.

Imagine launching a promotion across delivery apps, in-store kiosks, and mobile wallets – all with consistent messaging. The result? A connected customer experience that scales effortlessly as your business grows.

3. Cloud-native: Built for speed and reliability

MACH systems are designed to live in the cloud, which means they’re fast, scalable, and always up-to-date. No more worrying about downtime.

For QSRs, this reliability is critical. Whether it’s a sudden spike in mobile orders or a new delivery partnership, cloud-native systems adapt instantly to keep operations running smoothly.

4. Headless: Flexibility for the future

Headless architecture separates the front-end (what customers see) from the back-end (where all the processes happen). This gives QSRs flexibility to deliver the same experience across multiple channels – be it a kiosk, app, or voice assistant.

Redesigning an app or introducing a new ordering interface becomes much simpler with MACH. Its decoupled structure allows for changes to the front-end without altering the core functionality, enabling faster iterations.

MACH adoption on the rise

It’s no surprise that more businesses are switching to MACH. In fact, according to the 2025 MACH Alliance Global Annual Research, 9 out of 10 organizations have increased their use of MACH architecture over the past year. This steady growth shows that companies everywhere are moving toward smarter, more flexible ways of working.

For QSRs, it’s a clear signal: now’s the time to explore what MACH can do. Whether it’s making operations smoother, creating better customer experiences, or adapting quickly to new challenges, MACH gives you the tools to keep up with today’s fast-paced world.

Real-life QSR success stories powered by composable solutions

1. Domino’s: Enhancing customer acquisition with Twilio Segment

Domino’s partnered with Twilio Segment to centralize customer data, enabling more targeted and effective marketing strategies. This streamlined approach led to a 65% decrease in cost per acquisition, a 23% increase in Facebook conversions for new customers, and a 16% boost in retention rates. With unified data, Domino’s delivered more precise campaigns and personalized interactions across all channels.

Learn more: How Domino’s Decreased Cost Per Acquisition by 65% with Twilio Segment

2. BAEMIN: Managing high-volume promotions with Voucherify

BAEMIN, a leading food delivery service, integrated Voucherify’s API-first promotion engine to handle high-demand promotional campaigns. With over 60 million redemptions and 800 campaigns launched, BAEMIN maintained a fast time-to-market while ensuring scalability and operational efficiency in a highly competitive market.

Learn more: How BAEMIN Vietnam handled over 60 million redemptions in a coupon-hungry market

3. KFC Vietnam: Scaling promotions across channels with Voucherify

KFC Vietnam adopted Voucherify’s flexible APIs to manage promotions across multiple channels, including kiosks, web, mobile app, and POS systems. The first phase introduced tiered and product-specific promotions across 200 stores, with plans to expand these capabilities to call centers and other channels. This setup supports tailored discounts, tiered offers, and comprehensive loyalty programs.

4. KFC Global: Building consistent digital experiences with Contentful

KFC partnered with Contentful to unify its digital content management system across markets, improving operational efficiency and brand consistency. This transformation led to a 43% increase in global digital sales and a 50% boost in Australian digital sales, enabling KFC to expand its digital strategy to kiosks and drive-thru displays.

Learn more: KFC builds finger-lickin’ good digital experiences with Contentful

5. Costa Coffee: Serving localized content with Contentful

Costa Coffee enhanced its digital presence with Contentful, enabling rapid deployment of region-specific websites and app content. Using Contentful’s composable platform, Costa Coffee launched 15 localized websites, with region-specific sites built in as little as 15 minutes. This ensures tailored and engaging experiences for customers across its digital platforms, including the rewards app Costa Club.

Learn more: Costa Coffee Wakes up New Markets with Localized Content

6. Burger King: Boosting app engagement with mParticle

Burger King partnered with mParticle to revamp its mobile app and launch the innovative "Whopper Detour" campaign. By utilizing geolocation data and real-time customer insights, the campaign offered customers a 1-cent Whopper when they were near a McDonald's location. This strategy led to over 6 million app downloads, a 300% increase in mobile order value, and a 40-fold improvement in coupon redemption rates compared to previous digital promotions.

Learn more: How Burger King Swerved its Way to 6MM Loyal App Users

7. Joe & The Juice: Driving loyalty with mParticle

Joe & The Juice leveraged mParticle's real-time data insights and segmentation capabilities to power its loyalty programs. This approach resulted in a remarkable 75.5% year-over-year revenue increase, demonstrating the effectiveness of personalized customer engagement.

Learn more: mParticle’s Real-time Data Insights and Segmentation Fuel Joe & The Juice Loyalty Program Growth

8. Pizza Hut: Elevating customer engagement with Braze

Pizza Hut transitioned to Braze to enhance their communication strategies. By implementing a sophisticated multi-armed bandit (MAB) machine learning test, they optimized email campaigns with hundreds of variants. This approach led to a 30% increase in transactions, a 21% boost in revenue, and a 10% rise in profit compared to their standard email program.

Learn more: Pizza Hut Adds Key New Channels and Drives a 21% Increase in Revenue With Machine Learning

9. Burger King UK: Driving app engagement with Braze

Burger King UK leveraged Braze to create a personalized, cross-channel messaging campaign encouraging users to share their birthdays in exchange for special offers. The campaign achieved a 55% open rate, a 22% click-to-open rate, and a 10% click-through rate, significantly increasing user engagement and app traffic. 

Learn more: How Burger King UK Personalized Cross-Channel Messaging to Achieve an 800% Increase in Conversions

Why composable architecture is the future of QSR?

The quick service restaurant industry is evolving and the pressure to keep up with changing customer demands is only growing. Legacy systems and outdated approaches just don’t cut it anymore – customers want personalized experiences, and they want them now.

That’s why composability matters. By breaking free from rigid systems and adopting a flexible, modular approach, QSRs can adapt faster, innovate more easily, and deliver exactly what their customers expect. Whether it’s launching a new promotion in real time, rolling out a loyalty program that actually excites people, or connecting with customers across every platform, composable architecture makes it all possible.

The results speak for themselves. Brands like Costa Coffee, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Burger King are already leading the charge, using composable solutions to drive sales, boost loyalty, and stay ahead.

The question isn’t if QSRs should go composable – it’s when.

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