Restaurant AI

The Brain of the Restaurant: How AWS Thinks About AI with Deborah Matteliano

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:28:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Deborah Matteliano, Global Head of Restaurants and Food Tech at AWS. A founding member of the Uber Eats sales organization who scaled the platform to over 200,000 restaurants across the US and Canada, Deborah later led Uber's Virtual Restaurants segment to 700% global growth before joining Amazon Web Services, where she now advises the world's largest quick service restaurants, food tech brands, and delivery platforms on AI and cloud strategy.

Matt and Deborah dig into why 90% of the world's largest QSRs run on AWS and what that actually means for how AI gets deployed at scale. Deborah breaks down the two stats dividing executive boardrooms right now, shares what it really takes to build the digital GM assistant every operator wants, and explains why the biggest obstacle for most restaurants isn't missing data but missing connectivity between systems.

The conversation goes deep on buy vs. build, data standards, and why so many AI pilots stall before reaching production. Deborah also draws on Amazon's own supply chain, Rufus, and Alexa Plus to illustrate what AI looks like when it actually earns consumer trust at scale, and closes with her full vision for the agentic restaurant: orchestrated AI agents handling supplier negotiations, inventory, GM-level decisions, and employee support all at once.

Whether you're a multi-unit operator figuring out where to start with AI, a restaurant tech executive weighing build vs. buy, or a founder designing a concept from the ground up, this episode gives you one of the clearest pictures yet of where the industry is heading and what separates the brands that will win.

Why Most Restaurant AI Is Just an If-Then Statement | Toby Malbec

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:23:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Toby Malbec, a 30+ year restaurant technology veteran who has led technology strategy for brands including Church's Texas Chicken, Subway, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Known in the industry as an "operational technologist," Toby shares why most of what restaurants call AI is really just if-then statements, why the industry's fragmented tech stack remains its biggest obstacle, and what it actually takes to deploy technology inside the four walls.

The conversation covers kiosks, drive-through voice AI, camera vision, and kitchen production, along with the real reasons these technologies succeed or fail in practice. Toby also dives into the franchise relationship, explaining how brands can collect and share data back to operators in a way that builds trust, and why the best technology decisions start with strategy, not a vendor pitch.

Whether you're a franchise operator modernizing your tech stack, a technology leader navigating buy-versus-build decisions, or a restaurant executive evaluating AI solutions, this episode offers a candid, experienced perspective on what works and what's worth waiting for.

Links:

Connect with Toby Malbec on LinkedIn: 🔗 / toby-malbec-8989322

Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: 🔗 / matthewjwampler

Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com

Chapters:

00:00 Intro & Coming Up

03:55 Welcome, Toby Malbec

05:07 What Is AI, Really?

06:44 Descriptive, Predictive & Prescriptive Analytics

10:11 Why Restaurant Data Doesn't Play Nice

14:15 AI Coding and Legacy Systems

18:19 Buy vs Build: Who Creates the Restaurant OS?

22:46 The Kiosk Debate

28:00 Drive-Through Voice AI

33:37 Evaluating Voice AI Vendors

38:46 Franchisees and Technology Decisions

44:31 Data Sharing and Franchisee Trust

51:52 Operational Efficiency in the Four Walls

57:35 Predictive Analytics That Work

1:01:13 How AI Changes the Restaurant Workforce

1:09:48 Advice on Deploying Technology

1:14:02 Where to Find Toby

Josh Kopel on AI, Systems, and Why Restaurants Must Evolve Now

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:05:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Josh Kopel, restaurateur, coach, marketing strategist, and founder of the Restaurant Scaling System.

Josh has built, scaled, and exited restaurants, including earning a Michelin star, but he’s blunt about what actually matters in this industry. From marketing myths to hiring systems powered by AI, this conversation dives into what separates restaurants that survive from those that scale.

Josh shares why most restaurants are stuck in “performative marketing,” how to think differently about social media, why chasing awards won’t buy you freedom, and how AI can dramatically improve hiring and delegation. They also unpack the hard truth about industry consolidation, what “strategic ignorance” really means for owners, and why better questions, not more effort, unlock growth.

Whether you’re an independent operator, founder, or scaling a multi-unit concept, this episode delivers sharp insights and practical frameworks you can apply immediately.

Episode Links:

Connect with Josh Kopel: https://joshkopel.comConnect with Matt Wampler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwamplerLearn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com

Chapters:

00:00 Intro & Coming Up

01:53 Welcome Josh Kopel

03:03 No Marketing → Performative Marketing → Effective Marketing

03:39 Why Social Media Is Low Intent

07:54 Why a Michelin Star Didn’t Create Freedom

09:43 “Do What You Think Is Cool” Philosophy

16:04 Using AI to Hire Better Employees

18:19 Hiring for Natural Predisposition

26:59 The Industry Reckoning: Top 30% Will Cannibalize 90%

52:34 Strategic Ignorance Explained

1:06:46 Why Knowledge Alone Isn’t Enough

1:07:26 Final Advice for Restaurant Owners

Aaron Knape: Computer Vision, Privacy, and the Next Leap in AI

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:27:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Aaron Knape, Chief Revenue Officer at Amniscient, to unpack one of the most talked-about but least understood areas of AI: computer vision.

While most AI conversations today focus on voice and text, Aaron explains why computer vision is different, and why it may be the missing layer that allows AI to finally understand the physical world. From grocery stores and restaurants to manufacturing and security, computer vision gives AI eyes, context, and ground truth data that language models alone can’t provide.

Aaron breaks down what computer vision actually is, why it’s historically been so expensive and slow to adopt, and what’s finally changing. The conversation explores real-world use cases like self-checkout, inventory tracking, quality control, and operational visibility, along with the harder questions around privacy, data ownership, liability, and regulation.

They also dive into the convergence of LLMs + computer vision, edge vs cloud processing, the future of robotics, deepfakes, and why adoption isn’t just a technology problem, it’s an education and implementation problem.
Episode Links:

Connect with Aaron Knape on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronknape/
Learn more about Amniscient:
Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: /matthewjwampler
Learn more about ClearCOGS:

Chapters + Timestamps
00:00 Intro & Coming Up
02:51 What Computer Vision Actually Is
04:15 CAPTCHA & Training AI
04:58 Why Computer Vision Stayed in Infancy
06:56 The “Autocomplete on Steroids” Moment
09:36 LLMs + Computer Vision: Giving AI Eyes
11:35 Why Video Hasn’t Delivered ROI Yet
13:17 Self-Checkout & Retail Use Cases
16:43 The SKU & Packaging Problem
19:35 Aaron’s Journey into Computer Vision
22:50 Cameras, 4K & Hardware Evolution
24:45 Edge vs Cloud Computing
29:47 Privacy, Data Ownership & Liability
35:00 Deepfakes & Regulation
41:58 The Risk of Too Much Visibility
46:18 AI, Education & The Next Generation
52:21 Where Computer Vision Is Headed
1:15:19 Final Thoughts & Where to Find Aaron

How Kristen Corral Built a Community-Driven Restaurant Brand

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:30:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Kristen Corral, serial entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and Co-Founder of Tacotarian, the fast-growing plant-based Mexican restaurant brand redefining how restaurants build community and loyalty.

Kristen shares her unconventional journey from Las Vegas showgirl to restaurant founder, detailing how she built Tacotarian from an idea into a multi-location brand with a cult following. Along the way, she breaks down what most restaurants get wrong about marketing, why authenticity consistently beats polished advertising, and how operators can turn attention into real customers.

The conversation dives deep into community-first marketing, converting social media followers into email subscribers, avoiding polarizing labels like “vegan,” and designing a brand that invites everyone in. Kristen also shares how she’s expanding Tacotarian into CPG and retail, how AI and modern tools give small brands an advantage over big chains, and why restaurants that listen to their customers win long term.

Whether you’re a restaurant owner, founder, marketer, or simply curious about building a brand people genuinely care about, this episode offers practical insights, real examples, and a refreshing perspective on growth in hospitality.

LINKS:

Visit Tacotarian: https://eattacotarian.com
Connect with Kristen Corral on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-corral/
Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/
Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com

Chapters:

00:00 Intro & Coming Up Next

02:58 Kristen’s unlikely path: showgirl to entrepreneur

05:13 Launching Tacotarian and early success

07:28 Why plant-based without alienating guests

09:43 Community-first marketing and storytelling12:38 Turning social media followers into customers

15:28 Avoiding labels and meeting people where they are

18:43 Building loyalty through real engagement

22:13 Retail, CPG, and franchising strategy

25:58 Using AI and tools as a small brand advantage

29:58 Final thoughts and advice for founders

The Future of POS with 'The Restaurant Technology Guy' Jeremy Julian

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:57:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Jeremy Julian, longtime restaurant technology leader, founder, and podcast host who has spent decades at the center of the POS and restaurant tech ecosystem.

Jeremy brings a rare, long-range perspective on how restaurant technology has evolved — from hardware-heavy POS systems to payment-first platforms — and where AI may push the industry next. Together, they unpack why restaurant problems haven’t really changed, why technology stacks keep getting more complex, and how operators are being forced to navigate an increasingly noisy tech landscape.
The conversation dives into the real tradeoffs between bundled vs best-in-class systems, why operators are losing trust in vendors that overpromise, and what it actually means for POS to become the “system of record” in an AI-driven future. Jeremy also shares why big tech companies struggle to solve restaurant problems, how robotics and automation are already reshaping kitchens, and why open ecosystems may be the only sustainable path forward.

From RFP failures to robotic kitchens, and from operator pain points to the future of personalization, this episode offers a candid, insider look at what’s really happening behind the scenes of restaurant technology — and what operators and founders should be paying attention to next.

00:00 Intro & Coming Up Next
02:47 Jeremy Julian’s background in restaurant technology
05:02 Why restaurant problems never really change
07:17 The explosion of restaurant tech and operator fatigue
09:32 Bundled vs best-in-class systems
12:27 Why operators are losing trust in tech vendors
15:17 POS as the system of record
18:32 Why big tech struggles with restaurant complexity
22:02 AI, personalization, and the future of POS
25:47 Robotics and automation in restaurant kitchens
29:27 What founders and operators should focus on next
32:47 Final thoughts and advice for the industry

The Operator Who Made AI His First Employee

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:53:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler sits down with Tim Martin, Co-Founder and Owner of BoxBox, a new Denver restaurant concept built around sharing food and connecting people. Tim isn’t just launching a brand, he’s building one of the most technologically advanced single-unit restaurants in the country. He explains how AI became his “first employee,” helping him document hundreds of hours of recipe R&D, organize his menu and brand vision, and even guide him through vibe-coding a completely custom, headless tech stack with no traditional POS. Together, Matt and Tim unpack how he mirrored kiosk orders to his team in real time, created a fully modifier-based menu architecture, built forecasting and prep systems in Google Cloud, and used AI to accelerate every part of operations without sacrificing hospitality. Tim also shares the emotional side of opening BoxBox, the cultural importance of designing a brand around shared meals, and why he believes AI creates an unprecedented competitive advantage for independent operators. This deep, inspiring conversation reveals what’s possible when a single-unit entrepreneur embraces AI as a true collaborator—and what the future of restaurant operations might look like because of it.

Episode Links

Visit ClearCOGS Online: https://clearcogs.com
Connect with ClearCOGS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clearcogs
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler
Visit BoxBox Online: https://orderboxbox.com
Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-martin-90567735

00:00 Intro
02:49 Tim Martin / BoxBox
05:01 20 Years in Restaurants & the ChatGPT Switch
06:29 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Opening
07:40 What a Headless Tech Stack Means
08:14 Modifier-Only Menu Architecture
09:38 Ordering Without a Traditional POS
11:04 Real-Time Kiosk Mirroring
12:20 Homegrown Hardware Solutions
14:06 Struggling With APIs (Until AI)
15:21 Letting AI Teach You
16:25 Building BigQuery and Dashboards
17:14 Recording All R&D for AI
18:53 Training AI on Brand and Voice
19:50 Custom Forecasting Tools
21:04 AI as a Collaborator
22:22 Onboarding AI as an Employee
24:29 Building Their Own Tech Stack
25:52 Competitive Advantage for Independents
30:01 AI Food Photography
30:24 What AI Can’t Replace
32:35 Practical Culinary Uses for AI
34:01 BoxBox Mission & Concept
35:47 Shared Meals vs. Individual Meals
39:02 Chipotle’s Shareables Enter the Chat
42:25 The Gap in 4–8 Person Meals
43:02 Has His Life Gotten Worse?
45:27 Building Boundaries as a Founder
47:09 100 Days of Iteration
49:09 Tech, Culture, and Human Connection
52:19 AI, Labor, and the Future of Work
53:20 Tim’s AI Playbook for Operators
57:05 “Threaten Your AI”
58:54 Where to Find BoxBox
59:25 Outro

How Zhong Xu Built a $1.4 Billion Restaurant Tech Powerhouse

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 08:02:00 -0000

On this episode of The Restaurant AI Podcast, ClearCOGS co-founder and CEO Matt Wampler sits down with Zhong Xu, the visionary founder behind Deliverect, now valued at over $1.4 billion. Zhong opens up about the relentless execution and radical simplicity that powered Deliverect’s rise from a scrappy MVP to a global restaurant infrastructure platform used by thousands of brands.

Zhong shares the unbelievable early story: validating the business before writing real code, onboarding 300 restaurants across multiple countries within months, and using this traction to fuel what would become one of the biggest success stories in restaurant technology. From there, he and Matt dive into the complexity of the modern digital restaurant stack and why Zhong believes AI agents and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) will change everything.

They break down how MCP gives AI the context it needs to reason like a true operator, how agents will place orders, test systems, optimize menus, and even catch fraud in real time. Zhong also details the next wave coming to restaurants: drone delivery, autonomous logistics, AI-generated menus, refund-fraud prevention using camera intelligence, and operational automations that happen long before a human ever touches the POS.

Packed with insights on execution, growth, AI strategy, and the future of restaurant tech, this is the definitive episode for operators, founders, and anyone watching the rapid acceleration of restaurant AI. Zhong’s billion-dollar journey is a masterclass — and his vision for what’s coming next is even bigger.

Episode Links -

Visit Deliverect: https://www.deliverect.com/en-us
Connect with Zhong Xu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhongyuanxu
Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com/
Connect with Matt Wampler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler

00:00 Intro

01:36 Zhong’s entrepreneurial background

11:10 The catalyst for starting Deliverect

17:00 Why traditional Point of Sale (POS) systems couldn't solve the digital ordering problem

20:53 Fragmented POS market

28:55 The "Wizard of Oz" Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for Deliverect

31:55 Defining a working technology MVP in the restaurant industry

38:15 State of the relationship between third-party delivery and restaurants

41:21 The MCP is the "smart layer on top of the plumbing"

47:10 The challenge of large language models (LLMs) and the need for a protocol like MCP to prevent "hallucinations"

57:26 Building a 'firewall' to manage which AI agents can access a restaurant's private data.

1:01:00 The specifics of what Deliverect is currently building

1:07:15 Drone delivery isn’t far away

1:12:35 How technology can improve the poor economics of the restaurant industry

1:14:55 Final discussion on data visibility and how information should be shared across the different levels of restaurant management

1:18:56 Outro

From Layoff to Legacy: How Charlie Eblen Built a BBQ Empire | 2025 Create Conference

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:05:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Charlie Eblen — founder of Single Tree BBQ and host of Single Tree Nation on ESPN Radio — to share one of the most inspiring stories in hospitality. When the pandemic hit, Charlie lost his corporate job overnight. Instead of playing it safe, he followed his wife’s advice: “Go do what you love.” Out of a 26-foot food trailer and a few thousand dollars in savings, Single Tree BBQ was born. What started as a way to feed his community became something much bigger — a movement built on authenticity, storytelling, and service. With zero media experience, Charlie picked up a phone, went live on Instagram, and started sharing his journey. Three years later, he’s running a thriving restaurant, hosting a nationally syndicated radio show, and partnering with Toast to grow his brand’s impact. Charlie shares how vulnerability and community connection fueled his success, the moment that changed his life forever, and why he believes “it takes a community to build a business.” From sending a child with cancer to Disney World to designing the next flagship BBQ restaurant, this is the story of what happens when you stop waiting for permission — and start betting on yourself. Episode Links:

Visit Single Tree BBQ Online: https://www.singletreebbq.com/
Listen to Single Tree Nation: https://www.singletreebbq.com/podcast
Connect with Charlie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlieeblen
Visit ClearCOGS Online: https://www.clearcogs.com/
Connect with Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler

00:00 Intro

00:45 Welcome, Charlie Eblen!

01:22 Restaurateurs becoming media companies

02:26 Charlie's story

04:40 Growing the Single Tree brand

06:40 Becoming the "Nike of BBQ"

07:50 Starting from a single food truck

08:20 Getting laid off was the "best worst day of my life"

10:30 The next Single Tree BBQ

11:45 The legacy of Single Tree BBQ

12:35 Outro

Maria Zhang: Building Empathetic AI for the Hospitality Industry | 2025 Create Conference

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 08:05:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Maria Zhang, Co-Founder and CEO of Polona, live from the 2025 CREATE Conference in Nashville. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence can enhance—not replace—the human touch that defines great hospitality.

Maria shares her journey from leading engineering teams at Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo to launching an AI company purpose-built for restaurants. She discusses how her team is building “full-modality” AI—technology that can see, hear, and understand context—to bring efficiency, accuracy, and empathy to restaurant operations.

The conversation dives into the complexity of restaurant challenges, from order accuracy to guest experience, and how AI can serve as an empowering teammate rather than a cold automation tool. Throughout, Maria emphasizes that the future of restaurant technology lies in connection—between humans and machines, data and hospitality, and innovation and care.

Episode links:

Subscribe to Palona on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknBp0bKdgw4P9SmrxfdrWQ
Visit Palona Oline: https://palona.ai/
Connect with Maria Zhang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariarenhuizhang
Visit ClearCOGS Online: https://clearcogs.com
Connect with Matt Wampler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler

00:00 Intro

00:51 Welcome, Maria Zhang!

01:41 Maria's tech background

04:51 Technology company processes

06:39 Transition to restaurant technology

07:47 Palona AI

10:17 Maria's go-to dish to cook

11:12 Tech-driven vs problem-driven

16:35 Dominating Voice AI

19:11 The common language that ties their tech together

22:05 Understanding LLM's

24:33 The pace of AI acceleration

26:25 Humans training AI vs AI training humans

27:02 Building a product with changing infrastructure

28:58 Evolution of edge computing

29:56 Experimenting on the restaurant technology industry

31:52 Outro

Avi Goren: AI, Authenticity and How Restaurants Get Found Online

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 18:30:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Avi Goren, Co-Founder and CEO of Marqii — a leading platform helping restaurants manage their digital presence and reputation. Together, they unpack how AI and automation are reshaping discoverability in hospitality, from SEO and generative search to the role of accurate listings, reviews, and menus across every online channel.

Avi shares insights from Marqii’s latest research showing where AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity pull restaurant data, why consistency across listings still drives local SEO, and how AI-powered review responses can enhance guest engagement without losing the human touch. The conversation explores open vs. closed systems, the future of restaurant tech consolidation, and why true digital hospitality means blending technology with authenticity.

Throughout, Avi emphasizes that while AI can streamline and scale a brand’s online presence, great restaurants — and great technology partners — always lead with hospitality.

Episode Links:

Visit Marqii online: https://www.marqii.com/

Connect with Avi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avigoren

Visit ClearCOGS online: https://www.clearcogs.com/

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler

00:00 Intro

01:18 Welcome, Avi Goren!

02:10 The Foundations of Being Found Online

05:15 The Problem with Inconsistent Menus Across Platforms

07:10 Marqii’s Role in Unifying Digital Presence

08:18 “Best” Searches and Review Scores in Google

09:55 Using Reviews to Improve Search Visibility

10:55 How Generative AI Search (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity) Works

10:31 What AI Chatbots Pull From: Listings vs. Websites vs. Reviews

12:15 Why Listings and Websites Still Matter Most

14:51 Inputs and Outputs: Social Media vs. Foundational SEO

17:45 What AI Weighs More Than Traditional SEO

20:02 Open vs. Closed Search Systems Explained

20:36 Social Media Strategy: The Lottery Ticket Analogy

22:09 Authenticity, Reviews, and Real Restaurant Success

23:11 Can AI Help Us Find Hidden Gems Like Small BBQ Spots?

26:16 How to Influence Reviews Without “Faking” It

27:44 Why You Should Mention LTOs in Review Replies

29:14 How Marqii Uses Claude AI to Automate Review Responses

33:24 Writing Prompts and Maintaining Brand Voice

34:48 How Marqii Scales Customization for 20,000+ Restaurants

38:09 Will Real Human Touch Still Matter in a Digital World?

42:52 How COVID Changed Restaurant Tech Priorities

46:33 Why Open APIs and Integrations Are the Future

48:20 Collaboration Over Competition in Restaurant Tech

49:27 What Drove Marqii’s Growth to 20,000 Restaurants

53:25 The Turning Point: From Three Employees to 55+

54:53 Rebuilding Marqii’s Product for Customization

55:55 Staying Focused on Hospitality, Not Just Tech

57:52 What Keeps Avi Up at Night: Staying Ahead of the Industry

58:56 Where the Puck Is Going: Marqii’s Roadmap

59:30 AI Analytics, Data Insights & the Future of Discoverability

1:00:45 Closing Thoughts: Human Hospitality in a Digital Age

Jacob Williamson: Racing, Data and the Human Edge in the Age of AI

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:31:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, hosts Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with professional racing driver and entrepreneur Jacob “Jake” Williamson, Co-Founder of GP Lab Motorsport and owner of multiple businesses spanning motorsports, catering, and more. Together, they explore the fascinating overlap between data-driven decision-making and instinct — from how predictive analytics shape Formula racing to how gut feel still defines performance behind the wheel.

Jake shares how simulators, telemetry, and AI eye-tracking are transforming driver training and how lessons from the racetrack apply to running small businesses. The conversation dives into the evolution of motorsport accessibility, the power of content and storytelling in modern team building, and what AI-driven coaching could look like in the near future.

Throughout, Jake emphasizes that while technology can predict, measure, and refine performance, true excellence still comes from human intuition, preparation, and the relentless drive to push beyond what the data says is possible.

Episode Links:

Connect with Jacob Williamson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-williamson-a6012782
Visit GP Lab online: https://gplab.us/
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler
Visit ClearCOGS online: https://www.clearcogs.com

00:00 Intro

01:41 Welcome, Jacob Williamson!

02:00 F1 as predictive analytics

04:38 Talent vs training

07:22 Risk taking, simulators and AI vision training

13:00 How data prepares drivers

16:52 Driver skill vs car quality

20:30 Analyzing data in real-time

22:33 Transition from race car driver to business owner

25:57 GP Lab Motorsports

30:34 Sponsorships, media and the Drive to Survive effect

34:05 From flying to racing

36:38 Social media strategy for racing teams

39:07 Making motorsports accessible

43:54 AI and the future of food service

48:00 Mental capacity training and proactive thinking

50:34 Analytics vs instinct on the track

53:28 AI's influence on workflows

56:13 AI's impact on the future of racing

57:55 Democratizing talent discovery

59:51 The draw of racing

1:08:03 What to know about sponsoring a race car

1:11:32 Outro

Erin Levzow: Navigating the Future of Marketing with AI

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, hosts Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, and Erin Levzow, an award-winning marketing innovator whose career spans brands like Wingstop, Del Taco, and the Museum of Ice Cream, dive deep into how AI and data are redefining restaurant marketing.

From her start in Las Vegas casinos to leading marketing for national restaurant brands, Erin shares how hospitality’s most competitive environments taught her to think like a technologist. She explains how restaurants can move beyond segmentation to true one-to-one marketing, where every guest interaction is informed by behavior, timing, and intent.

The discussion unpacks the rise of AI-powered multivariable testing, the importance of storytelling and emotional intelligence in modern marketing, and how women in leadership bring fresh perspective to brand strategy. Erin and Matt also explore the ethics of automation, the future of voice AI in drive-thrus, and why every modern CMO must be part data scientist, part storyteller.

Throughout, Erin emphasizes one key message: technology will keep changing but continuous learning, authenticity, and empathy will always drive the most meaningful connections between brands and guests. Episode Links:

Listen to Bite-Sized & Bossy: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bite-sized-bossy/id1780866645
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler
Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com

00:00 Intro

01:30 Welcome, Erin Levzow!

02:00 Marketing - Then and now

07:55 The future of marketing

09:50 Marketing as a franchisee

12:17 Maximizing the capabilities of restaurant marketing

14:20 Personalization

15:39 AI in restaurant marketing

17:32 AI for multivariable testing

20:26 Know the story you’re telling

23:35 Women in marketing

24:55 The new generation of marketers

26:22 The Mecca of marketing

29:38 “The jam study”

32:00 The danger of turning AI loose

37:40 AI's impact on the restaurant industry

42:00 AI's Role in Marketing and Customer Interaction

47:20 Tech consolidation

50:55 Data-focused approach and future-thinking

52:20 Byte-Sized & Bossy podcast

1:01:00 Advice for aspiring female executives

1:03:35 Authenticity in the workplace

1:08:34 Why aren't there more women founders?

1:10:30 Manifesting confidence

1:12:50 Take the risk

1:16:14 Outro

Phil Crawford on Why Small Brands are Beating Big Brands with AI

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Phil Crawford, Global Head of Food and Beverage at Adyen. Known for his leadership at Shake Shack and CKE before moving into fintech, Phil shares why he made the jump from running restaurant tech to rethinking payments on a global scale. They dive into how AI is already reshaping payment optimization, fraud prevention, and customer insights, and why the “absence of problems” may be the truest measure of success. Phil also breaks down the reality behind loyalty programs, how smaller brands often outpace legacy chains in adopting AI, and why CTOs should stop chasing shiny AI solutions and instead focus on building open, flexible systems that can adapt as the technology evolves. From blockchain buzz to drive-thru automation, this wide-ranging conversation offers a candid look at the future of restaurant payments, the challenges of ROI, and what it really takes to make AI practical in hospitality. Episode Links: Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crawfordphil Learn more about Adyen: https://www.adyen.com Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com

00:00 Intro

01:55 Welcome, Phil Crawford

04:42 How payments have changed

09:41 How data affects customer retention

13:36 Aligning digital, marketing and IT teams

18:47 Viewing AI as a large organization vs an emerging brand

23:40 AI can write code more efficiently than humans

24:45 Planning your tech stack for an uncertain future

28:55 Maturity of the concept is more important than the size

32:13 Outcomes-based pricing

39:22 The third & fourth waves of AI

49:20 Restaurant brands entering technology space

53:20 Biggest strategic technology mistake

56:25 Utilizing Ai as opportunistic vs strategic

1:02:11 Advice AI strategy

1:03:53 Personal AI tips

1:05:15 Outro

Bill Lindsey on 50 Years of Restaurant Tech, Casino Lessons, and AI’s Next Chapter

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:45:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Bill Lindsey, Partner and Co-Founder of COGS-Well. Bill’s journey started as a dishwasher at Farrell’s Ice Cream and took him through the Las Vegas Strip—where he learned operations on casino floors, lived through federal raids at the Stardust, and watched “learned intelligence” evolve into the systems we now call AI. With five decades spanning kitchens, casinos, and code, Bill reflects on the timeless problems of restaurants, why human resistance to change has always been the biggest obstacle to innovation, and how AI could finally remove friction from tasks as fundamental as counting a register or tracking inventory. He also shares how Cogs-Well rethought recipe logic, the role of “workarounds” in building great software, and why the most powerful technology lessons come from lived experience. This wide-ranging conversation blends history, war stories, and practical insights—showing how yesterday’s lessons can prepare restaurants to adopt AI with clarity, creativity, and control. Episode Links: Connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-lindsey775 Learn more about COGS-Well: https://www.cogs-well.com/ Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com 00:00 Intro 01:53 Welcome, Bill Lindsey! 03:00 Bill's vast history with restaurant technology 05:40 AI's role in solving human problems 09:30 Bill's history with restaurant accounting 12:21 From Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour to Las Vegas 15:49 Las Vegas in the '70s 18:40 Handling money issues for Vegas casinos 22:30 Bill's involvement in the real life 'Casino' 27:30 The tech stack of the 1970's 32:50 AI bringing us back to simpler technology 36:20 Learned intelligence vs artificial intelligence 42:51 COGS-Well 54:54 Understanding programming through business logic 1:03:40 The future of back-of-house software 1:09:11 What do you want from AI 1:12:20 Building back-of-house software 1:31:45 The future of the restaurant industry 1:34:16 Solving the money issue 1:35:17 Outro

Joe Guszkowski on Cutting Through AI Hype and Finding Real Value for Restaurants

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:01:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Joe Guszkowski, Senior Editor at Restaurant Business. With years of experience reporting on the industry’s biggest shifts, Joe offers a journalist’s perspective on how artificial intelligence is reshaping restaurants—from the back office to the front of house.

He unpacks where AI is making a real difference today, the challenges operators face in separating hype from practical value, and why thoughtful adoption will be key to long-term success. Joe also discusses the human side of AI: how technology can enhance creativity, empower teams, and allow restaurants to better tell their own stories in a crowded marketplace.

This conversation is both a reality check and a roadmap—showing how operators, technologists, and storytellers can work together to ensure AI strengthens the restaurant experience rather than diluting it.

Episode Links:

Read Joe’s reporting at Restaurant Business: https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/
Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-guszkowski-a3512a49
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler
Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com

00:00 Intro

01:30 Restaurant Business' new podcast series on AI

05:00 The people behind the technology

07:00 Democratizing AI

13:41 Restaurant technology is fashion

16:07 AI technology is iterative

20:45 The AI drive-thru

24:40 Restaurant technology moves too slow

30:40 Predictive analytics

33:38 Embracing AI technology in restaurants

37:33 How AI gets implemented

42:00 The benefits of AI to restaurant owners

48:18 Creating a more sustainable industry

51:08 Franchisor benefits from higher prices

53:00 The next 5-10 years

57:38 AI capabilities

1:00:40 Restaurant reporting

1:02:51 The business of restaurants

1:06:11 Outro

Troy Hooper on Scaling Pepper Lunch and Staying Authentic in Hospitality

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:46:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, welcomes Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America and Pepper Lunch. With a career spanning three decades across kitchens, consulting, and global brand leadership, Troy offers a masterclass in how to scale an international concept without losing its soul.

He shares the lessons learned from guiding Pepper Lunch’s North American expansion, where authenticity is the North Star, franchisees are true partners in innovation, and technology is leveraged to strengthen—not replace—the human connection. From rethinking loyalty beyond points, to using data-driven engagement that still “acts like a human,” Troy reveals how Pepper Lunch is combining modern tools with timeless hospitality values.

Pepper Lunch’s story illustrates a broader blueprint for the industry: scale rooted in cultural integrity, collaboration as a growth engine, and guest experiences designed to surprise and endure.

Episode Links:

Connect with Troy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtroyhooper
Learn more about Pepper Lunch: https://pepperlunch.com
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler
Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com

00:00 Intro

01:26 Welcome Troy Hooper

04:09 Troy's background and pivoting to the restaurant industry

13:33 The purpose of restaurant turnarounds

14:40 Restaurants struggling to stay current

15:40 Hunger for development

17:04 The franchise system

19:10 What makes a good consultant

25:35 The value of social media to the consulting world

30:17 Restaurants are. a family

32:37 Signing the right operator

35:33 Pepper Lunch

44:27 People crave authenticity

46:45 Restaurant kiosks and technology

53:05 The truth about loyalty programs

57:52 Every stakeholder has a voice

1:03:16 Innovative restaurant technology

1:05:48 First thing we bring you is a smile

1:08:15 The role of AI in restaurant hospitality

1:23:10 Outro

PredictHQ Co-Founder Campbell Brown on Forecasting the Future of Restaurant Demand

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Campbell Brown, Co-Founder and CEO of PredictHQ, to explore how artificial intelligence and real-world event data are transforming restaurant forecasting and operations. Campbell shares the story of building PredictHQ from its early days in New Zealand to becoming the “demand intelligence” engine for global brands like Chipotle, Domino’s, and Wingstop. He explains how everything from Taylor Swift concerts to dental conventions can shift millions in restaurant sales—and why operators must move beyond anecdotal knowledge to data-driven foresight. The conversation dives into the complexity of cleaning and standardizing event data, why explainability builds trust in AI-driven forecasts, and how restaurants can operationalize demand insights to optimize staffing, inventory, and guest experience. Campbell also paints a picture of what’s next: prescriptive AI that not only forecasts surges but recommends the exact actions to capture them. From concerts and weather to strikes and sports, Campbell reveals how PredictHQ is helping restaurants and retailers embrace “real-world aware AI” to navigate demand volatility and unlock billions in value. Episode Links: - Connect with Campbell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/campbellbrown - Learn more about PredictHQ: https://www.predicthq.com

- Follow PredictHQ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/predicthq

- Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler

- Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com/ 00:00 Intro

01:41 Welcome, Campbell Brown!

02:00 The Taylor Swift Effect

04:00 The major categories of PredictHQ

05:02 The origin of PredictHQ

09:21 PredictHQ's first customer

11:00 Taking on Google early on

12:55 Getting the right data is a battle itself

14:15 Retail forecasting

17:00 Explaining the business of foresight

18:30 One-off events and their impact

21:20 The benefits of foresight for the restaurant industry

22:20 Operationalizing data forecasting

24:54 Getting customers the right data

28:13 Prescriptive analytics

31:10 What it takes to build PredictHQ

33:46 The new events impacting demand

34:29 Weird events that impact demand

35:50 How much of demand can be explained

37:40 The operator's impact

40:15 PredictHQ vs LLM's

45:09 The difficulty in gathering data

46:52 Implementing data forecasting from the customer side

48:23 External features

50:34 Utilization and management

53:57 The future of PredictHQ

55:37 Real world AI

1:00:04 Why data forecasting is inevitable

1:01:54 Outro

Carl Orsbourn: Navigating the Restaurant Tech Revolution

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, sits down with Carl Orsbourn, Co-Author of Delivering the Digital Restaurant, Host, The Digital Restaurant Podcast, SVP, Invisible AI, to explore how artificial intelligence and digital transformation are reshaping the restaurant industry. Carl shares the story behind writing Delivering the Digital Restaurant during the pandemic, why his follow-up book focuses on the long game of digital maturity, and how restaurants can shift from treating technology as a cost center to seeing it as a driver of top-line growth. He explains why the most powerful applications of AI will go beyond cutting costs to improving menu design, loyalty, and guest personalization—creating restaurant experiences as tailored as an Amazon homepage. The conversation dives into the challenges of fragmented tech stacks, the risks of “AI washing” in SaaS solutions, and the importance of building a platform mindset that connects data silos across the business. Carl also paints a picture of the near future—where personalized AI agents help guests order, computer vision enhances operations, and GMs are freed to spend more time with their teams and guests. From the early days of Kitchen United to advising enterprises on AI adoption today, Carl brings a candid and practical perspective on how operators can separate hype from reality and take purposeful steps toward building digitally mature, AI-powered restaurants. Links: Connect with Carl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlorsbourn Visit Invisible Technologies: https://www.invisible.co/ Buy Carl's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Carl-Orsbourn/author/B099LVTD6B?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com/ 00:00 Intro 02:14 Welcome Carl Orsbourn 02:33 Writing The Digital Restaurant book series 07:20 The restaurant industry pre-pandemic 11:40 The industry after embracing AI technology 14:22 Technology and the customer experience 16:48 Technology to inform decision-making 23:09 Conditioning consumers' buying decisions 26:03 Algorithms and our true intention 29:30 Working with LLM's 34:23 Evolving SaaS tech stack 36:59 First-mover advantage to adopting tech early 44:00 LLM's ruling the world 49:03 Base technology is getting better 52:45 Applying AI to restaurant brands 56:06 Optimism about the future of AI 58:28 Third book on the way? 58:58 Bringing AI into an organization 1:01:48 Shifting the relationship with technology 1:03:26 What does the future look like? 1:05:26 Outro

Bite CEO Brandon Barton on The Next Era of Guest Experience

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:02:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, sits down with Brandon Barton, CEO of Bite, to explore how kiosk ordering, AI, and deep restaurant experience are shaping the future of guest interactions.

Brandon shares his 25-year journey from bussing tables in Brooklyn to running the dining room at a Danny Meyer restaurant, making the leap to restaurant tech at Avero, and eventually leading Bite—a software company bringing “e-commerce on a touchscreen” into restaurants nationwide. He explains why Bite focuses on software over hardware, how kiosk ordering can be as (or more) hospitable than face-to-face, and why technology should be an additive part of the guest experience, not a replacement for it.

They dive into how AI-driven recommendations can adapt in real time to weather, regional trends, and guest behavior, the concept of “unified guest identification,” and why hospitality at scale often comes down to simple gestures—like giving away fries when you don’t have to. Brandon also shares his perspective on the fractured state of restaurant technology, why costs dropping will lead to more niche players (not fewer), and the importance of working with tech leaders who have restaurant roots.

From hands-on stories about catching escaped roosters to forward-looking ideas about AI agents and data co-ops, this conversation blends humor, operational wisdom, and a candid look at the next wave of restaurant technology.

Links:

Bite: https://www.getbite.com

ClearCOGS:⁠ https://www.clearcogs.com/⁠

Connect with Brandon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncbarton

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/

00:00 Intro

02:25 Welcome Brandon Barton

03:03 Understanding the business of kiosks in restaurants

7:00 Why kiosks work for an ordering experience

10:55 Point of sale in 2025

14:46 Technology renaissance in the restaurant industry

19:13 Brandon's background in technology

23:13 Remaining a restaurant person despite a pivot to technology

27:16 Brandon's calling is to help restaurants embrace technology

29:50 The future of ordering and the guest experience

37:26 The psychology of kiosk ordering

40:05 Using AI to help you order

41:13 The future of the restaurant technology industry

44:34 Restaurant brands building technology

47:15 Ex-restaurant people make better technology

49:07 Relationship between technology and restaurants

52:33 What Bite is doing with AI today

55:40 Learning about how people order

57:25 The best conversations about kiosks

58:40 Advice for choosing technology

1:01:08 Best curated customer experience

1:01:30 Favorite wine

1:01:33 Favorite LLM

1:02:06 Advice for restaurant technology companies

1:02:27 The future for Bite

1:02:44 Outro

Niko Papademetriou on Turning Restaurant Struggles into Scalable Tech Solutions

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, sits down with Niko Papademetriou, Co-Founder of Qu POS, to trace his unconventional path from investment banking to owning a massive Dupont Circle restaurant, and eventually leading growth at one of the industry’s top enterprise POS providers.

Niko shares candid stories from the trenches of restaurant ownership—navigating failing equipment, oversized kitchens, payroll pressure, and learning to become a “Swiss Army knife” operator. He explains how those hard-won lessons now inform his approach to building enterprise-grade technology that can scale securely while adapting to the nuanced needs of individual operators.

They dive into why Qu started with large multi-unit chains instead of independents, how AI is reshaping both product development and internal workflows, and why security and stability should be treated as areas for innovation rather than obstacles to it. Niko also talks about using tools like Gong to capture and share critical customer insights, the balancing act between rapid product releases and reliability, and his bullish outlook on AI as the connective tissue between scalable platforms and personalized experiences.

From hard-earned lessons in the trenches to big-picture thinking on where restaurant tech is headed, this episode packs battle-tested wisdom with forward-looking insights you can act on.

Episode Links:

Qu POS: https://www.qubeyond.com/
Connect with Niko: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikopapademetriou/
ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com/
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/

00:00 Intro

02:01 Niko's background and favorite pizza

07:57 From investment banking to technology

14:25 Jimmy Johns in the Maryland/D.C. area

15:33 Starting a restaurant from scratch

24:35 What he learned from owning a restaurant

29:40 Transitioning to the technology space

36:20 Building for independence / Building for enterprise

40:18 Deploying AI internally

46:13 Security and reliability are contradictory to innovation

49:20 Best outputs on the product side

54:52 "Unifying commerce platform"

58:40 What sets Qu apart from other POS products

1:00:20 Best in class software vs All in one

1:07:40 AI-powered POS of the future

1:12:20 "Do more with the same."

1:13:18 AI in kitchen displays

1:15:25 How today's technology would've impacted Niko's first restaurant

1:17:41 Outro

Wow Bao CEO Geoff Alexander on Turning a Struggling Fast Casual into a National Powerhouse

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 14:31:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, sits down with Geoff Alexander, CEO of Wow Bao, to unpack the remarkable story of how a small fast-casual concept became a national brand available in 15,000 grocery stores, 500 hot vending machines, and dozens of non-traditional locations—all without traditional funding.

Geoff shares how he took over Wow Bao with three underperforming units and turned it around by embracing early technology adoption, from kiosks and online ordering in 2010 to experimenting with biometrics, blockchain, and AI-powered production planning. He explains why limited capital forced him to innovate—and how that mindset laid the groundwork for an omnichannel empire that blurs the lines between restaurant, retail, and CPG.

They dive into Geoff’s philosophy on partnering with startups, the risks and rewards of being a first mover, and how operators can build better tech by giving better feedback. Geoff also discusses how Wow Bao uses its brick-and-mortar footprint to test products that scale instantly to thousands of locations—a key advantage few brands can claim.

Whether you're an operator looking for new growth channels or a tech founder trying to break into foodservice, this episode is packed with insights on how to build big with limited resources, a clear vision, and the right partners.

Links:

Visit Wow Bao: https://www.wowbao.com/
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/
Connect with Geoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffalex/
Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com/

00:00 Intro

02:45 Introduction to Wow Bao

04:25 Geoff's background with Wow Bao

10:40 Is Wow Bao a restaurant brand or a food brand?

11:30 Restaurant product vs frozen product

12:50 Turning around a struggling concept

15:18 Mastering online ordering before everyone else

17:00 Learning the Chicago market with food trucks

19:45 Wow Bao's brick and mortar history

21:30 Taking a swing at online ordering due to frustration

24:53 Benefits of adopting technology early

27:14 The problem with restaurant technology

28:20 The new wave of restaurant people leading technology

30:06 Getting in early on self-ordering kiosks

34:45 Finding the right partners

35:21 Creating Venmo before Venmo existed

38:05 Working with technology partners

40:25 The benefit of not having access to capital

45:20 "Every vertical requires attention"

47:08 The philosophy of different verticals

55:42 Geoff's relationship with technology partners

1:00:12 Operators getting involved with technology benefits the industry

1:02:45 The evolution of technology and benefits of AI

1:12:17 Technology can enhance hospitality

1:15:20 The key to success for CPG and ensuring quality

1:16:25 "I don't pull the plug on anything"

1:18:17 Advice for restaurant turnarounds

1:20:05 Outro

Danny Klein on Why Truth Matters More Than Ever in the Age of AI

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:31:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI podcast, Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, sits down with Danny Klein, Editorial Director of QSR Magazine, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving role of journalism in the restaurant industry, the rise of AI-powered tools, and the importance of trust in a saturated media landscape.

Danny shares his unexpected journey from sports writing to restaurant trade journalism, how QSR Magazine builds and protects editorial trust, and what it means to serve a B2B audience that values data over dining reviews. The two dive into the challenges and opportunities of AI in journalism, including QSR's new AI-powered internal search tool and the shifting role of editors in the "truth-telling economy"—where brand trust and personal voice matter more than ever.

They also explore the tension between technology and hospitality in restaurants, what defines a winning brand in today’s landscape of falling traffic and digital overload, and why experience still drives loyalty in a post-COVID, omnichannel restaurant world. From Texas Roadhouse's smart tech moves to the dangers of overbuilding, this episode delivers real insights for operators, marketers, and media professionals alike.

Links:

QSR Magazine: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/

Connect with Danny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyklein14/

Listen to QSR Uncut: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/podcast/

ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com/

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/

00:00 Intro

02:14 Danny's introduction to restaurant journalism

08:20 "We're not food writers"

12:15 The business behind food

16:40 What is AI doing to journalism?

21:00 Community building and the future of the Editor role

23:54 The future of brands and publishing companies

27:00 LinkedIn's algorithm

31:55 The future of human influence on AI

35:26 The truth-telling economy

42:58 The future of writing 50:14 Which facts are true? 58:57 Technology and hospitality in restaurants

1:05:55 Experiential restaurants vs technology

1:11:39 Restaurants buying too much technology or the wrong technology?

1:15:15 Where AI is headed in the restaurant industry

1:18:26 Loyalty programs

1:20:30 The importance of technology vendors

1:23:52 Drone delivery

1:24:10 Smartest source of truth on the restaurant industry

1:25:00 Robotic kitchens or humans running automation

1:25:30 The best restaurant CEO

1:28:00 The most interesting topic to Danny

1:31:00 Intro

Michael Ungaro: From Fish Market to Media Company to Future-Proofing a Legacy

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Live from the floor of the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show, Restaurant AI host Matt Wampler sits down with Michael Ungaro, third-generation owner and visionary behind the iconic San Pedro Fish Market. In this wide-ranging and entertaining conversation, Michael shares how a family-run seafood operation turned into a cultural phenomenon—with over 3,000 seats, a hit streaming series, and a savvy embrace of digital innovation. From the surprising power of Facebook comments to battling IP theft with strategy, Michael opens up about what it really takes to bring a legacy business into the future. They dive into the challenges of generational transition, the importance of narrative in hospitality, and how a temporary COVID setup turned into a masterclass in tech-enabled guest experience.

Links:

San Pedro Fish Market: https://www.sanpedrofish.com/

Connect with Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeungaro

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sanPedroFish

Listen to the Fi$H Factor podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fi%24h-factor-with-mike-ungaro/id1811844101

Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com/

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/

00:00 Intro

00:30 Welcome Michael Ungaro

01:21 Embracing technology

03:13 Leaning on people to solve problems

04:40 Intellectual property

05:38 Running a 70 year-old brand

08:34 Kings of Fish TV Show

09:20 "We're not a restaurant anymore"

10:45 Why the fourth generation of a business is the hardest

12:55 Advice for running a family business

14:20 Is Reality TV "real"?

17:19 Getting information from customers

19:04 The 100th anniversary of San Pedro Fish Market

20:15 Outro

Rudy Miick – Designing Restaurants That Restore the Soul and Inspire Growth

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

In this thought-provoking episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler sits down with Rudy Miick, Founder and President of The Miick Companies, for a deep dive into what makes restaurant culture truly transformative—and how technology fits into the equation.

With over four decades of experience shaping restaurant brands from the inside out, Rudy shares why restaurants are more than food and service—they’re leadership laboratories, soul-restoring spaces, and the stage for daily human evolution. The conversation challenges the conventional view of operations, blending awareness, emotional intelligence, and data-driven coaching into a new vision for sustainable profitability and human-first leadership.

They explore how to architect every touchpoint—sound, smell, eye contact—to deliver not just meals, but moments. Rudy also breaks down how to quantify the unquantifiable, replacing punitive management with a culture of daily coaching and radical positivity.

Links:

00:00 Intro

01:31 Evolving through life

04:25 Nature vs nurture

09:18 Restaurants are “leadership labs"

14:13 Equipping everyone to rise to the top

19:45 The age-old restaurant model is dead

23:50 Awakeness and emotional intelligence as operational assets

27:07 The senses of a great restaurant

30:00 The power of sound, smell, and vibe

33:00 Crafting "the pitch" of a great restaurant

39:50 Rudy's passion for the hospitality industry

47:00 Rudy's greatest dining experience

51:19 Where technology makes sense in the restaurant industry

54:02 Mapping out human vs tech-driven touchpoints in the guest experience

1:00:25 Culture driving the brand experience

1:03:00 What today’s tech companies are getting wrong and what restaurants really need

1:08:11 Turning prime cost tracking into a daily discipline

1:10:33 The arithmetic of the restaurant business

1:14:15 A new model of leadership: coaching to the positive in real-time

1:18:30 Using AI to free up managers to be people-first leaders

1:22:07 Rudy's hope for the restaurant industry

1:24:30 Outro

Justin Foster – Building Voice AI for the Chaos of Drive-Thrus and the Realities of Restaurant Tech

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 14:45:00 -0000

In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt sits down with Justin Foster, Co-Founder and CRO of Incept AI, for a deep and technical dive into the future of Voice AI in restaurants, particularly in the drive-thru environment. With years of experience in both restaurants and AI, Justin brings rare insight into what it really takes to build voice technology that works in the chaotic, noisy world of restaurant operations. Matt presses Justin on the tough questions—what’s real, what’s hype, and why so many voice AI companies are entering the space now. Key Topics Covered: The evolution of voice AI from “tree-and-branch” rule-based systems to large language models (LLMs) Why the McDonald’s Apprente experiment failed—and what’s changed since The four layers of voice AI: raw audio, transcription, intent processing, and TTS The critical role of clean audio input and why denoising is the bottleneck How hardware, digital base stations, and cloud-based audio ML interact Why latency and naturalness in conversations are essential to guest experience The hidden cost of relying on humans-in-the-loop to "fix" broken AI orders Why scaling Voice AI requires retraining, not just installing software How economics, accuracy, and guest trust define the winners in this space Predictions about moving from cloud to on-prem edge computing in the next 3–5 years The future of voice AI in training, loyalty, upselling, and personalized service Episode Links:

Visit Incept AI Online: https://www.incept.ai/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinfoster/

Visit ClearCOGS Online: https://www.clearcogs.com/

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/

00:00 Intro

01:48 Voice AI, explained

03:37 Early innovations in Voice AI

7:45 Challenges of Voice AI

13:05 Latency in Voice AI

15:10 Walkthrough on Voice AI in a drive-thru

19:58 The critical role of clean audio input

24:36 Minimizing mistakes and maximizing accuracy

28:50 Foundation model advancements

30:46 Moving from Cloud to On-Prem

32:08 Model training and differentiation

37:30 Why purchasers are wary of Voice AI

46:57 Robotic vs human interractions

49:14 Which voices do humans prefer?

51:08 The economics of Voice AI

58:17 Do customers recognize Voice AI?

1:01:17 The future of Voice AI

1:06:57 Impact on minimum wage employment

1:07:54 The restaurant industry is resistant to change

1:08:49 Weirdest moments of Voice AI

1:09:47 How it all gets stitched together

1:13:58 Authenticity and regional dialect

14:55 Accuracy in Voice AI and non-Voice AI

1:18:33 Justin's passion for the technology

1:21:57 Contact Justin and Outro

Jordan Boesch - Streamlining Restaurant Workflows, Replacing Spreadsheets and Building an AI Future

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 14:51:00 -0000

Live from the floor of the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, Restaurant AI host Matt Wampler sits down with Jordan Boesch, CEO of 7shifts, for an energizing conversation about the evolution of labor management.

With 7shifts powering 1 in 9 U.S. restaurant workers, Jordan shares how his team is moving the industry beyond spreadsheets—building intelligent workflows that streamline scheduling, payroll, compliance, and communication.

They dig into the rise of cross-training, the need for intuitive tools in independent restaurants, and why AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the future of operational peace of mind.

00:00 Intro 00:48 The latest in the world of restaurant labor 03:08 Solving the changing customer/labor demands 04:58 What makes a great restaurant management system 06:43 Learning from customer data on areas to improve 09:28 Solving paper cuts in restaurant workflows 10:04 Advice for younger companies 11:59 AI's impact on restaurant labor 14:30 7shifts' communication features 15:10 What's next for 7shifts 16:25 "Compliance should be on auto-pilot" 17:56 Empowering independent restaurants 21:15 History of the name/logo 22:06 Learning from mistakes 24:24 Outro

Jesse Stein – Scaling Startups, Building AI Agents, and Solving Hospitality’s Hardest Problems

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0000

In this episode of The Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler sits down with Jesse Stein—serial entrepreneur and CEO of Hermetic AI—to unpack how AI agents are transforming the private event sales process in hospitality. From building SportsMemorabilia.com and selling it to Fanatics, to scaling a skincare brand to $48 million in two years, Jesse’s entrepreneurial resume is nothing short of legendary.

Now, he’s turned his attention to hospitality, creating AI agents like “Mia” that respond to leads in under 12 seconds, personalize communication with guests, and handle everything from scheduling to reactivation of past customers. The result? Increased revenue, lower operating costs, and happier teams. Jesse breaks down what makes AI agents truly effective, the importance of going niche, and why focusing on execution—not just ideas—is the real differentiator in today’s tech landscape.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build an AI company that’s actually solving real problems for restaurants, this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

Relevant links:

ClearCOGS: ⁠https://www.clearcogs.com/⁠

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/

Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessejstein/

Follow Jesse on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesse.steinn/

00:00 Intro

01:26 Jesse's background as a serial tech entrepreneur

02:45 How he decides to pursue certain business ventures

07:40 SportsMemorabilia.com and buying raw domains

09:15 Being opportunistic vs filling a need

14:52 The story behind Hermetic AI

16:50 Turning an idea into a business and scaling it

18:01 How Hermetic AI solves pain points for the hospitality industry

20:04 The difference in 'Mia' vs other AI agents

23:01 Building vertically and not horizontally

24:44 The state of AI agents

30:06 How AI agents are trained to mirror you

35:14 "Businesses with AI will replace businesses without AI."

37:25 How MIA synchronizes with every aspect of the business

42:30 Realizing value

43:34 Why outbound lead generation is so tough

44:45 The best use cases for LLM's

46:20 Machine learning in order to improve conversions

47:50 Interesting learnings so far

50:15 The ethics of informing customers that Mia is an AI agent

52:57 "It's disruptive in a good way."

55:08 How focus can be a superpower

56:38 What else to look for when evaluating AI companies

59:30 The future of agentic AI

1:03:54 Outro

Rob Wilder - From Founding Restaurants to Funding Innovation and Feeding the World

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0000

In this episode of Restaurant AI, host Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, sits down with Rob Wilder, partner at Jose Andres Group, for a wide-ranging conversation that spans decades of experience in the restaurant industry, the evolution of restaurant technology, and the impactful work of World Central Kitchen.

Rob shares his journey from opening his first restaurant, Austin Grill, in 1988, to becoming a pivotal figure in the Jose Andres Group (2:10), highlighting the early days of restaurant technology with basic POS systems and the current landscape of nearly 80 different tech platforms used by the Jose Andres Group today. Rob weighs in on the "renaissance" in restaurant technology, with a flurry of innovation in the last five to ten years, making previously hard things possible, especially with the advent of AI.

The conversation delves into Rob's transition to angel investing in restaurant tech and ag tech, and then into venture capital with FTW Ventures. He provides insights into what makes a successful angel investor, emphasizing the ability to spot great founders and the importance of understanding the business you're investing in.

Rob also touches on the current venture capital landscape, noting the challenges and opportunities in a tight market, and how FTW Ventures focuses on early-stage investments across the entire food system value chain, from genomics and sustainable farming to efficient refrigeration and food-as-medicine.

The discussion then dives deep into the inspiring story of World Central Kitchen (WCK), co-founded by Rob and Jose Andres. Rob recounts WCK's origins after the Haiti earthquake in 2010 and its evolution into a global organization that has served over 500 million meals in disaster areas worldwide. He emphasizes WCK's unique approach of empowering local food systems and providing hope through the power of food during communities' darkest hours.

Listen to this episode to learn about:

Rob's journey from restaurant owner to partnering with Jose Andres (2:10)
The transition from restaurant owner/operator to angel investor and venture capitalist. (26:19)
Key insights into angel investing, spotting talent, and the economics of venture capital. (33:36)
The historical evolution of restaurant technology and the current "renaissance" in the sector. (38:49)
The impact of AI on the restaurant industry, particularly in enhancing efficiency and the human experience.(42:13)
The challenges and adaptability of the restaurant industry in the face of economic uncertainties and tariffs. (1:19:10)
The incredible journey and mission of World Central Kitchen. (1:24:55)

Relevant Links:

ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com/
World Central Kitchen: https://wck.org/
Jose Andres Group: https://www.joseandres.com/
FTW Ventures: https://www.ftw.ventures/

Stuart McGuigan - Evolution of AI, Why Tech Projects Fail, and Leading Digital Transformation

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 13:26:00 -0000

In the debut episode of Restaurant A.I., ClearCogs Founder Matt Wampler sits down with Stuart McGuigan — former CIO of the U.S. Department of State, Johnson & Johnson, and Liberty Mutual — for a powerful conversation on the past, present, and future of artificial intelligence. (1:00)

With over 40 years of leadership at the intersection of technology and operations, Stuart unpacks:

The evolution of AI from the 1980s to ChatGPT (2:10)

How leaders can bridge the gap between business needs and IT execution (9:23)

How to implement AI into real-world operations without perfect data (27:50)

What makes a team “AI-ready” — and why most aren’t (35:00)

Why 70% of enterprise tech projects still fail (53:24)

Importance time series forecasting (56:51)

The challenges restaurants face with technology implementation (1:02:50)

Where AI is headed in the near future (1:08:35)

Advice for CIO's and technology leaders (1:24:25)

Outro (1:26:33)

Whether you're a restaurateur, tech leader, or just AI-curious, this episode offers a masterclass in strategic thinking, data-driven decision-making, and navigating complexity with clarity.

Learn more about ClearCOGS, a leading provider of real-time forecasting and restaurant data solutions, at clearcogs.com.

Stuart McGuigan - Evolution of AI, Why Tech Projects Fail, and Leading Digital Transformation

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:58:00 -0000

In the debut episode of Restaurant A.I., ClearCogs Co-Founder Matt Wampler sits down with Stuart McGuigan — former CIO of the U.S. Department of State, Johnson & Johnson, and Liberty Mutual — for a powerful conversation on the past, present, and future of artificial intelligence.