Restaurant Technology & Systems Analyst

Job Description

Job Description

Restaurant Technology & Systems Analyst

IT Systems, Networking & Security

Position Summary

The Restaurant Systems Analyst is responsible for supporting, maintaining, troubleshooting, and improving the technology systems that operate the company’s restaurants and corporate locations. This role serves as a key technical resource connecting restaurant operations, IT infrastructure, networking, cybersecurity, vendors, and enterprise applications.

The position requires a strong understanding of restaurant technology environments, including Point-of-Sale (POS), back-office systems, payment systems, digital ordering, kitchen technology, networking, wireless infrastructure, endpoint devices, and security controls.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on problem solver who can troubleshoot an issue at a restaurant, determine whether the root cause is application, hardware, network, security, or vendor related, and drive the issue through resolution.

Key Responsibilities

Restaurant Systems & Applications

• Support and administer restaurant technology systems, including:
• POS systems
• Back-office systems
• Kitchen Display Systems (KDS)
• Digital menu boards
• Online ordering and delivery platforms
• Gift card and loyalty systems
• Payment and credit-card processing
• Workforce and labor-management systems
• Inventory and food-cost systems
• Printers, scanners, tablets, handhelds, and other restaurant technology
• Troubleshoot application, hardware, configuration, and integration issues.
• Analyze system performance and identify recurring problems and root causes.
• Coordinate system upgrades, patches, configurations, and deployments.
• Assist with testing and implementation of new restaurant technology.
• Document system configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting standards.
• Work with application and technology vendors to resolve incidents and defects.

Networking & Infrastructure

• Support restaurant and corporate network environments, including:
• Firewalls
• Routers
• Switches
• Wireless access points
• VPN connectivity
• Internet connections
• SD-WAN and/or managed network services
• VLANs and network segmentation
• DHCP, DNS, and IP addressing
• Troubleshoot connectivity issues between POS, back-office, payment, digital, and corporate systems.
• Monitor network performance and availability.
• Assist with network installations, upgrades, and configuration changes.
• Work with telecommunications and managed-service providers to troubleshoot WAN and Internet issues.
• Validate network connectivity and configuration during new restaurant openings, remodels, and technology deployments.
• Maintain accurate network diagrams, IP information, equipment inventories, and configuration documentation.

Network Security & Cybersecurity

• Support the security of restaurant technology environments and corporate systems.
• Assist with implementation and maintenance of security controls, including:
• Firewall policies
• Network segmentation
• Secure wireless configurations
• Endpoint security
• MFA
• Access controls
• Secure remote access
• Vulnerability remediation
• Help maintain PCI DSS compliance and protect payment environments.
• Monitor and investigate suspicious network or system activity.
• Assist with security incident response and escalation.
• Identify security vulnerabilities and recommend corrective actions.
• Ensure systems are appropriately patched and maintained.
• Assist with access reviews, account management, and termination procedures.
• Work with cybersecurity teams and vendors to investigate potential security events.
• Promote security best practices across restaurant technology environments.

Incident Management & Troubleshooting

• Provide technical support for critical restaurant technology incidents.
• Analyze incidents from the perspective of application, hardware, network, infrastructure, and security rather than assuming the problem is isolated to one system.
• Prioritize issues based on operational and financial impact.
• Escalate critical incidents appropriately and maintain communication with affected stakeholders.
• Perform root-cause analysis on recurring or high-impact problems.
• Identify opportunities to prevent repeat incidents.
• Participate in after-hours support or on-call rotation when required.
• Track incidents through the company's IT service-management platform.

Restaurant Openings, Remodels & Deployments

• Support technology planning and deployment for new restaurant openings and remodels.
• Coordinate installation and configuration of:
• POS equipment
• Network equipment
• Internet/WAN connectivity
• Wireless
• Payment devices
• Kitchen technology
• Back-office systems
• Digital signage
• Security technology
• Validate systems prior to opening.
• Develop and maintain technology deployment checklists.
• Coordinate with construction, operations, vendors, and internal IT teams.
• Provide go-live support and ensure technology is operational before restaurant opening.

Vendor Management

• Work directly with technology vendors, managed-service providers, ISPs, POS providers, payment processors, and cybersecurity vendors.
• Open, manage, and escalate vendor support tickets.
• Validate vendor troubleshooting and proposed solutions.
• Hold vendors accountable for resolution and service-level commitments.
• Assist with evaluating new restaurant technology and vendor solutions.
• Participate in testing and proof-of-concept activities.

Documentation & Process Improvement

• Maintain accurate documentation for restaurant technology environments.
• Develop technical standards, procedures, and troubleshooting guides.
• Create knowledge-base articles for the Service Desk and restaurant support teams.
• Identify opportunities to automate repetitive processes.
• Analyze recurring incidents and recommend permanent solutions.
• Maintain asset and configuration information.
• Assist in developing technology standards for future restaurant deployments.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in IT systems support, systems administration, network support, or a related technical role.
• Experience supporting multi-location environments, preferably restaurants, retail, hospitality, or other distributed businesses.
• Working knowledge of:
• POS systems
• Windows environments
• TCP/IP networking
• DNS/DHCP
• VLANs
• Wireless networking
• Firewalls
• VPNs
• Endpoint security
• Network troubleshooting
• Understanding of cybersecurity fundamentals and PCI DSS requirements.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills.
• Ability to diagnose problems across multiple technology layers.
• Experience working with third-party technology vendors.
• Strong documentation and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating with internal IT and business teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Restaurant POS experience.
• Experience with enterprise restaurant platforms and back-office systems.
• Experience with Cisco, Meraki, Fortinet, Palo Alto, Aruba, or similar networking technologies.
• Experience with SD-WAN.
• Experience with PCI DSS and payment environments.
• Experience with Microsoft Active Directory / Entra ID.
• Experience with Microsoft 365.
• Experience with endpoint management and security platforms.
• ITIL or IT service-management experience.
• CompTIA Network+, Security+, CCNA, or equivalent experience.
• Experience supporting digital ordering, delivery integrations, loyalty, gift cards, or restaurant payment systems.
• Experience with cloud-based restaurant applications and APIs/integrations.

Core Competencies

Technical Troubleshooting
Ability to systematically troubleshoot complex issues across applications, devices, networks, infrastructure, and security.

Restaurant Technology Knowledge
Understanding of how technology directly impacts restaurant operations, transactions, guest experience, and revenue.

Security Mindset
Ability to recognize security risks and understand the importance of protecting payment systems, customer information, corporate systems, and restaurant infrastructure.

Operational Focus
Understands that a technology failure in a restaurant can immediately impact sales, guest experience, labor, and brand reputation.

Problem Solving
Looks beyond the immediate symptom to identify and resolve the underlying root cause.

Vendor Management
Ability to challenge vendors, validate technical recommendations, and drive issues to resolution.

Communication
Able to explain technical problems and solutions to restaurant operations, field leadership, executives, vendors, and technical teams.

Success Measures

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Reduction in restaurant technology downtime.
• Faster resolution of critical restaurant incidents.
• Reduction in recurring technology problems.
• Improved network reliability and performance.
• Successful technology deployments and restaurant openings.
• Improved cybersecurity and PCI compliance.
• Accurate technology and network documentation.
• Effective vendor performance and issue resolution.
• Improved restaurant and field-user satisfaction.
• Identification and implementation of technology improvements that reduce cost or improve operational efficiency.

Working Environment

This position operates in a fast-paced, multi-location restaurant environment where technology availability is critical to business operations. The role may require occasional travel to restaurants, corporate offices, data centers, vendor locations, or technology deployment sites.

The successful candidate must be comfortable working with both technology and restaurant operations and understand that a POS outage, network failure, payment issue, or security event can have an immediate financial impact on the business.