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.
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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.
Troy Hooper on Scaling Pepper Lunch and Staying Authentic in Hospitality
Restaurant AI
1 hour 23 minutes
3 months ago
Troy Hooper on Scaling Pepper Lunch and Staying Authentic in Hospitality
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
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.
