Restaurant AI

Folgen

• 
  NCR Voyix President on Rebuilding the World's Biggest POS from Scratch 29.09.2026 1Std. 1Min.

  The company that started with the cash register in 1884 just rebuilt its flagship restaurant POS from the ground up. Benny Tadele, EVP and President of Restaurants at NCR Voyix, joins Matt Wampler to explain why, and to make a case most operators will not expect from the man running the most deployed POS in the industry: stop making POS decisions. The terminal went from the center of the restaurant to one channel among many, and the decision that actually matters is the platform underneath it. Benny came up through the payments world and joined NCR Voyix after the 2023 split that turned an eight billion dollar conglomerate into a focused restaurant and retail company. He led the Aloha Next rebuild: microservices, cloud to edge, offline first, and a UI that brands can design themselves. In this episode, we get into: The three things to evaluate before committing to any restaurant technology foundation Why one sellout currently means three manual updates, and what connected systems change Open vs closed ecosystems, and why the answer differs for SMBs and enterprise brands AI for admin, humans for hospitality, and why the best restaurant AI is invisible to the guest The four stages of restaurant AI: record, understand, recommend, execute The weekend Benny spent trying to get an AI agent to order food, and what it revealed about agentic commerce Whether you're an operator staring down a POS contract, a multi-unit brand planning a tech stack for the next decade, or a builder trying to understand where restaurant technology is actually heading, this conversation reframes the biggest purchasing decision in the industry. Full show notes and every episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcast
• 
  R.AI Podcast Special | Fresh KDS x Groucho's: Building the Restaurant Operating System 04.09.2026 1Std. 11Min.

  In this special episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Deric Rosenbaum, President and CTO of Groucho's Deli, and David Corts, CEO of Fresh Technology, for the show's first three-way roundtable. Groucho's Deli has been making sandwiches since 1941, before the interstate system existed. Deric spent 26 years building its franchise infrastructure, its distribution company, and now its technology platform, turning an 85 year old brand with more than 30 locations across three states into one of the most AI-forward operations in the industry. David spent 30 years in enterprise software before betting on the kitchen, and his Fresh KDS now sits at the center of it. Together with ClearCOGS, they are building a connected back of house operating system, and this is the unfiltered version of how it actually works. Matt, Deric, and David get into why the tech stack is dead and the operating system model is replacing it, the four layers every brand has to get right before AI stops hallucinating, how Groucho's built Frank, an AI agent franchisees can query on demand, why forecasting is just algorithms and math, which SaaS tools survive the coming consolidation, and the question that opened the show: is AI making us smarter or dumber? Whether you're an operator drowning in disconnected tools, a franchise leader dragging a legacy brand into the AI era, or a technology founder deciding whether to play nice with other vendors, this one shows you what the future of the back of house looks like from the people building it. Connect with Deric Rosenbaum on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deric-rosenbaum-grouchos/ Learn more about Groucho's Deli: https://www.grouchos.com Connect with David Corts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcorts/ Learn more about Fresh KDS: https://www.freshkds.com Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com
• 
  Bennett Maxwell on Cookie Wars, AI Agents, and Building a Business That Runs Itself 25.08.2026 1Std. 19Min.

  Bennett Maxwell took a single cookie shop to 450 franchises sold, turned a lawsuit from the biggest name in cookies into national headlines on CNBC and Good Morning America, then sold the brand and went all in on building a business that runs itself on AI. In this episode, host Matt Wampler talks with Bennett, founder of Dirty Dough and CEO of Franchise KI, about architecting AI agents he can trust to run the day to day, selling hundreds of franchises without spending a dollar on ads, and his case that intelligence is about to become as free and invisible as flipping on a light. A conversation that is equal parts war story, playbook, and look at the future every operator is heading into. Connect with Bennett Franchise KI: franchiseki.com Instagram: instagram.com/bennettmaxwell35 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bennett-maxwell-703717126 Listen and subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and clearcogs.com/podcast ClearCOGS helps restaurants turn the data they already have into practical daily guidance for prep, ordering, and labor, so operators can make better decisions before the day gets away from them. Because when you have a clearer view of what's coming, you can run a more profitable restaurant. Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/podcasts-bennett-maxwell-ai-agents-franchise/
• 
  John Davie: the future of AI through the eyes of the largest restaurant GPO 11.08.2026 1Std. 16Min.

  In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with John Davie, Founder and CEO of Buyers Edge Platform and CEO of CollectivIQ. John started Buyers Edge in 1998 at 21 years old, knocking on restaurant doors with no resume and no credibility, kept afloat by his father's retirement account. Today the company is the leading digital procurement network in foodservice, serving hundreds of thousands of operator locations across four divisions, with more than 40 acquisitions and what John believes is the largest, most diverse data set in the industry: over 110 billion in cleaned, normalized foodservice transactions. The conversation covers the business model that gets vendors to willingly pay for restaurant savings, how Buyers Edge evaluates acquisitions through a data lens, and the state of the restaurant industry through the eyes of someone with a finger on its pulse since the nineties. Then it turns to AI: the shadow AI problem hiding inside every company, the $700,000 enterprise license that started it all, and the moment an AI confessed to John that it had been fabricating facts 25 prompts deep into a major acquisition. That wake-up call became CollectivIQ, a consensus engine that queries the leading AI models at once, makes them argue when they disagree, and routes every prompt to the most honest answer. John also breaks down digital direct reports, AI employees with names, personas, and real delegated work, and shares his advice for CEOs still hesitating on AI. This episode is for restaurant operators drowning in unused data, foodservice executives weighing their AI strategy, and anyone who has ever stared at an AI answer and wondered if it was true. Connect with John Davie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-davie-5788a18 Connect with Matt Wampler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwampler Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:23 What Is Buyers Edge Platform? 03:26 Door to Door: The Five-Year Grind 08:40 Becoming a Data Company 11:57 How Buyers Edge Makes Money 13:31 The Four Divisions of Buyers Edge 17:31 The Acquisition Playbook 27:01 Digitizing the Back of House 41:38 The $700K Bill That Sparked Collective IQ 46:37 When the AI Fabricated Facts 54:46 Digital Direct Reports 01:12:37 Advice for CEOs Waiting on AI Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/podcasts-john-davie-buyers-edge-ai-data/
• 
  Noah Glass: Second Party Ordering and the Fight to Get Profit Back to Restaurants 04.08.2026 54Min.

  In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Noah Glass, Founder and CEO of Olo. Noah invented restaurant online ordering in 2005, before the iPhone existed, survived eight wilderness years at twelve employees, scaled revenue 50x after product market fit, took Olo public in 2021, and took it private again in 2025 in a two billion dollar deal. Now he's picking a fight with the economics that drain restaurant profits. Matt and Noah get into why marketplace customers are rented transactions, the daily deals lesson the industry keeps forgetting, the second party ordering model launching later this year with zero commission and full guest data for restaurants, what agentic ordering actually looks like, and the one thing Noah says you can never outsource: the human touch. Whether you're an operator wrestling with third party economics, a founder in your own wilderness years, or a technology leader watching AI reshape ordering, this one delivers the long view from the person who started it all. Connect with Noah Glass on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nhglass Learn more about Olo: https://www.olo.com Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/podcasts-noah-glass-olo-second-party-ordering-restaurant-profits/
• 
  Podcast Legend Eric Cacciatore on How Independents Take Back the Restaurant Industry 21.07.2026 1Std. 21Min.

  In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Eric Cacciatore, founder and host of Restaurant Unstoppable, the longest-running podcast in the restaurant industry with nearly 1,300 interviews of America's most successful restaurateurs. Eric grew up in his parents' small-town restaurant, spent a decade becoming a commercial pilot, and walked away at 27 to pursue hospitality. Thirteen years later, he has the deepest archive of operator conversations in the industry, and some uncomfortable conclusions about where it is headed. Matt and Eric trace restaurants back to the colonial public house, the original social platform at the center of every town, and dig into why Eric believes the obsession with scale is pulling the industry away from its roots. Eric makes the case for fewer restaurants and more owners, breaking down the models proving it works: employee ownership trusts, one percent partner buy-ins, and depth-over-span growth. Then the conversation sharpens: Eric argues the digital marketplace is owned by technology platforms, whoever spends the most wins, and independents are feeding a marketing machine that was never built for them. On the hopeful side, he shares why AI has him optimistic, including the operator who vibe codes every morning and replaced his software subscriptions for ninety dollars a month, and lays out his vision for taking the industry back through community, ownership, and the Restaurant Unstoppable Network. Visit Restaurant Unstoppable: https://restaurantunstoppable.com Connect with Eric on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-cacciatore-ab41b375 Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/podcasts-eric-cacciatore-independent-restaurants-marketing-ownership/
• 
  Shaz Khan: Running a Restaurant Brand with an Engineer's First Principles Mentality. 15.07.2026 1Std. 15Min.

  In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Shaz Khan, Co-Founder and President of Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks. Shaz calls himself an accidental restaurateur. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota and was building a career in industrial automation when his best friend Antonio Gambino convinced him to enter the pizza business in 2016. A decade later, they are building out their sixteenth location across four brands, and Shaz serves on Toast's Customer Advisory Board. Matt and Shaz dig into the 1 a.m. no-show call that turned an engineer into a restaurant systems guy, why five and ten unit restaurant groups are building tech stacks light years ahead of large organizations, what Shaz has actually built internally with AI and why he rolls it out slowly on purpose, and why he believes hospitality must always sit above the systems, no matter how capable the technology becomes. Whether you are a restaurant operator wondering where AI actually fits, a multi-unit founder building your own tools, or a hospitality tech leader watching small operators close the gap, this episode is one of the most grounded conversations yet on running restaurants with an engineer's first principles mentality. Connect with Shaz Khan on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shazkhanmn Learn more about Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks: tonomn.com Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/podcasts-shaz-khan-restaurant-systems-ai-tono/
• 
  David Cantu: The $150 Billion Problem Hiding in Restaurant Back Offices 16.06.2026 1Std. 17Min.

  In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, host Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with David Cantu, CEO of Craftable and one of the most experienced operators and builders in hospitality technology. David co-founded HotSchedules and spent over two decades scaling it into one of the most widely used labor management platforms in the restaurant industry. He later served as CEO of Black Box Intelligence before joining Craftable's board and stepping into the CEO role with a clear mission: build the back office the restaurant industry has always needed but never had. In this conversation, Matt and David dig into why restaurant margins are higher than most operators realize and why the industry has been conditioned to stop looking too soon. David shares the story of saving 600 basis points in five months at an iconic Austin restaurant simply by tying managers to all controllable costs, not just food and labor. He breaks down why the painful end of week inventory count may soon be a thing of the past, what it actually takes to get managers emotionally connected to profitability, and why he sees the SaaSpocalypse as noise compared to the real opportunity sitting inside the back office right now. Whether you are a restaurant operator trying to unlock hidden profitability, a multi-unit brand still running on legacy back of house tech, or a hospitality tech executive watching the AI boom unfold, this episode gives you one of the most grounded and practical perspectives on where the industry is heading and what it will take to get there. Connect with David Cantu on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jdavidcantu Learn more about Craftable: craftable.com Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Learn more about ClearCOGS: clearcogs.com Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/podcasts-david-cantu-restaurant-margins-back-office-craftable/
• 
  R.AI Special | Shawn Walchef: What Really Happened on the Floor of the Biggest Restaurant Show on Earth 26.05.2026 32Min.

  In this special episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler sits down with Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media, fresh off the floor of NRA 2026 in Chicago. They break down what the show actually looked like this year, why confusion was the biggest theme around AI, what the best brands did differently, and why getting outside your four walls matters more than ever. Shawn also shares how Cali BBQ nearly went out of business in 2008 and how betting everything on social media saved it. Connect with Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef Learn more about Cali BBQ Media: calibbq.media Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com #RestaurantAI #NRAShow #NRA2026 #RestaurantTech #AIinHospitality #CaliBBQMedia #RestaurantLeadership #RestaurantStorytelling Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/the-nra-show-recap-ai-hype-real-insights-with-shawn-walchef/
• 
  David Corts: The Intelligence Layer Your Kitchen Has Been Missing 15.05.2026 1Std. 11Min.

  In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler sits down with David Corts, CEO of Fresh Technology, the company behind Fresh KDS. David spent 25 years in enterprise software watching digital transformations unfold across media, e-commerce, and ad tech before betting everything on the most underleveraged asset in the restaurant industry: the kitchen. Matt and David dig into why billions of dollars have flowed into front-of-house technology while the kitchen has been running on paper tickets and gut instinct. David breaks down why average ticket time is one of the most misleading metrics in the industry, what a true system of intelligence for the kitchen actually looks like, and why the Fresh KDS composable layer gives operators the flexibility they have always wanted without the complexity that comes with it. The conversation goes deep on the dot-com parallel playing out in AI right now, why doing AI for the sake of AI is the fastest way to build nothing, and how Fresh KDS is partnering with ClearCOGS to bring predictive analytics directly to the kitchen screen, turning a reactive operation into a proactive one. Connect with David Corts on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidcorts Learn more about Fresh KDS: freshkds.com Connect with Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler Learn more about ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/david-corts-on-the-intelligence-layer-restaurants-are-missing/
• 
  The Brain of the Restaurant: How AWS Thinks About AI with Deborah Matteliano 21.04.2026 1Std.

  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. Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/how-aws-helps-restaurants-build-smarter-ai-operations/
• 
  Why Most Restaurant AI Is Just an If-Then Statement | Toby Malbec 24.03.2026 1Std. 12Min.

  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 Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/why-most-restaurant-ai-is-just-if-then-statements/
• 
  Josh Kopel on AI, Systems, and Why Restaurants Must Evolve Now 03.03.2026 1Std. 8Min.

  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 Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/how-restaurants-are-using-ai-to-outsell-the-competition/
• 
  Aaron Knape: Computer Vision, Privacy, and the Next Leap in AI 17.02.2026 1Std. 16Min.

  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 + Timestamps00:00 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 Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/the-technology-your-restaurant-cameras-are-missing/
• 
  How Kristen Corral Built a Community-Driven Restaurant Brand 06.02.2026 50Min.

  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 Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/how-kristen-corral-built-a-community-driven-restaurant-brand/
• 
  The Future of POS with 'The Restaurant Technology Guy' Jeremy Julian 13.01.2026 1Std. 11Min.

  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 Next02:47 Jeremy Julian’s background in restaurant technology05:02 Why restaurant problems never really change07:17 The explosion of restaurant tech and operator fatigue09:32 Bundled vs best-in-class systems12:27 Why operators are losing trust in tech vendors15:17 POS as the system of record18:32 Why big tech struggles with restaurant complexity22:02 AI, personalization, and the future of POS25:47 Robotics and automation in restaurant kitchens29:27 What founders and operators should focus on next32:47 Final thoughts and advice for the industry Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/the-restaurant-technology-guy-on-pos-ai-and-what-comes-next/
• 
  The Operator Who Made AI His First Employee 25.11.2025 58Min.

  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 Intro02:49 Tim Martin / BoxBox05:01 20 Years in Restaurants & the ChatGPT Switch06:29 The Emotional Rollercoaster of Opening07:40 What a Headless Tech Stack Means08:14 Modifier-Only Menu Architecture09:38 Ordering Without a Traditional POS11:04 Real-Time Kiosk Mirroring12:20 Homegrown Hardware Solutions14:06 Struggling With APIs (Until AI)15:21 Letting AI Teach You16:25 Building BigQuery and Dashboards17:14 Recording All R&D for AI18:53 Training AI on Brand and Voice19:50 Custom Forecasting Tools21:04 AI as a Collaborator22:22 Onboarding AI as an Employee24:29 Building Their Own Tech Stack25:52 Competitive Advantage for Independents30:01 AI Food Photography30:24 What AI Can’t Replace32:35 Practical Culinary Uses for AI34:01 BoxBox Mission & Concept35:47 Shared Meals vs. Individual Meals39:02 Chipotle’s Shareables Enter the Chat42:25 The Gap in 4–8 Person Meals43:02 Has His Life Gotten Worse?45:27 Building Boundaries as a Founder47:09 100 Days of Iteration49:09 Tech, Culture, and Human Connection52:19 AI, Labor, and the Future of Work53:20 Tim’s AI Playbook for Operators57:05 “Threaten Your AI”58:54 Where to Find BoxBox59:25 Outro Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/how-one-denver-restaurant-operator-replaced-traditional-pos-with-ai-powered-solutions/
• 
  How Zhong Xu Built a $1.4 Billion Restaurant Tech Powerhouse 18.11.2025 1Std. 19Min.

  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 Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/60-of-delivery-refunds-are-fraud-restaurant-techs-hidden-problems/
• 
  From Layoff to Legacy: How Charlie Eblen Built a BBQ Empire | 2025 Create Conference 11.11.2025 12Min.

  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 Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/from-layoff-to-legacy-restaurant-owner-builds-bbq-empire-through-community-and-storytelling/
• 
  Maria Zhang: Building Empathetic AI for the Hospitality Industry | 2025 Create Conference 04.11.2025 32Min.

  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 Show notes and full episode: https://www.clearcogs.com/podcasts/live-from-create-mara-zhang-ceo-co-founder-of-palona-ai/