Restaurant AI with Matt Wampler is your weekly deep dive into the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on the restaurant and hospitality industry. Hosted by tech entrepreneur and industry insider Matt Wampler, this podcast explores how AI is reshaping everything from kitchen operations and customer service to marketing, labor management, and the guest experience. Whether you’re a restaurant operator, tech innovator, or hospitality enthusiast, each episode delivers insights, expert interviews, and real-world use cases that help you stay ahead in a competitive and tech-driven landscape.
All content for Restaurant AI is the property of Matt Wampler and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Restaurant AI with Matt Wampler is your weekly deep dive into the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on the restaurant and hospitality industry. Hosted by tech entrepreneur and industry insider Matt Wampler, this podcast explores how AI is reshaping everything from kitchen operations and customer service to marketing, labor management, and the guest experience. Whether you’re a restaurant operator, tech innovator, or hospitality enthusiast, each episode delivers insights, expert interviews, and real-world use cases that help you stay ahead in a competitive and tech-driven landscape.
Joe Guszkowski on Cutting Through AI Hype and Finding Real Value for Restaurants
Restaurant AI
1 hour 6 minutes
3 months ago
Joe Guszkowski on Cutting Through AI Hype and Finding Real Value for Restaurants
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
Restaurant AI
Restaurant AI with Matt Wampler is your weekly deep dive into the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on the restaurant and hospitality industry. Hosted by tech entrepreneur and industry insider Matt Wampler, this podcast explores how AI is reshaping everything from kitchen operations and customer service to marketing, labor management, and the guest experience. Whether you’re a restaurant operator, tech innovator, or hospitality enthusiast, each episode delivers insights, expert interviews, and real-world use cases that help you stay ahead in a competitive and tech-driven landscape.
