As we wrap up another incredible year, it’s time to reflect on the standout moments and episodes that made 2024 unforgettable for the Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast. From insightful interviews with industry leaders to deep dives into the latest tech trends, this year has been packed with valuable content for restaurateurs and tech enthusiasts alike. Let’s take a look some of the highlights! Thank you to our audience as we could not do it without you. We are on a journey to help restaurants succeed through education and awareness.
Top Episodes of 2024:
Exploring the Future of Food Delivery with Ghost Kitchen provider CloudKitchens –
https://restauranttechnologyguys.com/233-restaurant-technology-guys-podcast-ep-233-cloud-kitchen/
In this episode of the Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast, host Jeremy interviews Wesley, a restaurant operator who has focused entirely on ghost kitchens through his partnership with Cloud Kitchens, omitting traditional brick and mortar setups. Wesley explains the concept of ghost kitchens as a manufacturing space dedicated to producing food solely for delivery, differentiating it from virtual brands. Throughout the discussion, Wesley shares insights into the types of food his Asian fusion restaurant produces, the tech infrastructure provided by Cloud Kitchens, and the operational efficiencies afforded by this model, including reduced capital costs and improved unit economics. Wesley emphasizes the importance of customer retention and consumer surplus, and he also discusses challenges like maintaining food quality during delivery and guest recovery strategies. He promotes Cloud Kitchens as an innovative and scalable model for restaurant operations.
Maximizing Restaurant Profits through Delivery with Loop AI –
https://restauranttechnologyguys.com/245-restaurant-technology-guys-podcast-ep-245-loop-ai/
This podcast episode features a discussion between host Jeremy and guest Anan from Loop AI about the complexities of restaurant delivery operations and how technology can enhance efficiency and profitability. Anan shares his background in AI and restaurant tech, explaining how the pandemic amplified delivery’s role in restaurant revenue. They delve into challenges like order aggregation, profit margins, taxation, marketing spend, and reporting disparities among delivery service providers. Loop AI aims to address these issues by offering an integrated solution that helps restaurants understand and optimize their delivery finances, marketing effectiveness, and operational efficiencies.
Demystifying AI’s Role in Enhancing Restaurant Businesses: An Interview with Carl Turner of SwipeBy
https://restauranttechnologyguys.com/215-restaurant-technology-guys-podcast-ep-215-democratizing-access-to-ai-in-restaurants-a-conversation-with-carl-turner-founder-of-swipe-by/
In this episode of the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast, host Jeremy interviews Carl Turner, the CEO and founder of SwipeBy. They discuss the impact of AI on the restaurant industry, focusing on how SwipeBy’s technology simplifies online ordering and curbside pickup for local restaurants, enhancing their ability to compete with drive-thrus. Carl, originally from Germany, shares his entrepreneurial journey that began with a concept similar to Uber or DoorDash but focused on curbside pickup. The conversation delves into the value AI brings to restaurants, such as personalized marketing, better customer data utilization, and real-time data analysis. They also explore future advancements and how AI can democratize advanced business tools for smaller restaurant operators, ultimately improving both the operational efficiency and the consumer experience.
Gamifying Loyalty and Personalization for restaurants with Hang
https://restauranttechnologyguys.com/221-restaurant-technology-guys-podcast-ep-221-revolutionizing-restaurant-loyalty-programs-with-hang-a-deep-dive-into-customized-customer-engagement/
In this episode of the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast, co-host Jeremy interviews Matt, the co-founder and CEO of Hang. Matt shares his journey from working in finance to starting Hang, a next-generation loyalty software. They discuss Matt’s early ventures in live event ticketing, the impact of COVID-19 on his business, and the pivot to creating Hang. Matt explains how Hang offers tailored loyalty experiences through hyper-personalized rewards and omni-channel engagement. He highlights the importance of leveraging data and gamification to increase customer retention and satisfaction. Specific case studies, like the successful implementation with Boba Guys, showcase the tangible benefits of Hang’s approach. The conversation emphasizes the need for restaurants to move beyond traditional point-based loyalty systems and adopt more dynamic, personalized methods to foster deeper customer relationships and drive incremental revenue.
Revolutionizing Restaurant Finances with Starfish AI: Insights from Jordan Silverman
https://restauranttechnologyguys.com/252-restaurant-technology-guys-podcast-ep-252-starfish-with-jordan-silverman/
In this episode of the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast, the host welcomes Jordan Silverman, co-founder and CEO of Starfish. They discuss how Starfish uses AI to help small businesses, particularly restaurants, understand and improve their finances by reducing costs and increasing profits. Jordan shares his passion for supporting small businesses and highlights the challenges he faced as an entrepreneur. They delve into the importance of actionable data to make informed decisions and the benefits of AI in automating financial analysis. The conversation also touches on the different cost structures of various types of restaurants and the necessity for continuous improvement to stay profitable.
Reimagining Restaurant Delivery: Insights from Meredith Sandland
https://restauranttechnologyguys.com/250-restaurant-technology-guys-podcast-ep-250-empower-delivery/
In this Restaurant Technology Guys podcast episode, the host converses with Meredith Sandland, a recurring guest and CEO of Empower Delivery. Meredith discusses the evolution of their company from ClusterTruck, a profitable ghost kitchen in the US, and its end-to-end restaurant software focused on improving delivery operations. She emphasizes the benefits of first-party delivery and how Empower Delivery’s software efficiently manages gig working drivers to fulfill orders, ensuring better restaurant and customer experiences. Throughout the episode, they touch upon the challenges restaurants face with third-party delivery platforms, the importance of controlling delivery in-house, and the decline in delivery traffic post-pandemic. Meredith also elucidates the process of easing restaurants into using their comprehensive system and the substantial advantages it offers, including cost reduction, operational efficiency, and enhanced data integration. Listeners are guided on how to contact Empower Delivery for more information.
Mastering Restaurant Marketing with Rev Ciancio
https://restauranttechnologyguys.com/255-restaurant-technology-guys-podcast-ep-255-rev/
In this episode of the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast, host Jeremy Julian speaks with Rev Ciancio, a hospitality marketing consultant known for his expertise in restaurant marketing. They discuss various strategies and tools for effective marketing, emphasizing the importance of local search optimization, email newsletters, and guest feedback. Rev also shares insights from his own experience in the restaurant industry, including his roles with Salad House and Handcraft Burgers & Brew. The conversation highlights the significance of providing a stellar guest experience and the benefits of incentivizing customers to foster loyalty. They also touch on the use of gated Wi-Fi for data collection and how to leverage both social media and email marketing for maximum impact.
Quick horable mention is to Kea who cotinue to get downloads week over week. The show released in October of 2023 but since it had as many downloads as some of the new episodes, we added it to the best of 2024.
Cashier in the Cloud Voice AI tool Kea.Ai
https://restauranttechnologyguys.com/199-restaurant-technology-guys-podcast-ep-199-cashier-in-the-cloud-voice-ai-tool-kea-ai/
In this episode, Jeremy Julian interviews Adam Ahmad, the CEO and founder of kea.ai, a company that provides human-assisted AI voice ordering for restaurants. They talk about how kea.ai works, what benefits it brings to restaurant operators and customers, and what challenges and opportunities they face in the industry. You’ll hear how kea.ai uses natural language processing and machine learning to handle phone orders efficiently and accurately, reducing wait times, errors, and costs. You’ll also learn how kea.ai helps restaurants increase their sales, loyalty, and customer satisfaction by offering personalized recommendations, upsells, and rewards. Adam also shares his vision for the future of voice AI and how it can create a seamless and delightful ordering experience for customers across different channels and platforms. He also gives some advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start their own restaurant tech company. This is a fascinating and informative conversation that you don’t want to miss. Tune in to the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast and learn how voice AI is revolutionizing the restaurant industry!
Conclusion: 2024 has been a year of innovation and growth for the Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast. We’ve had the privilege of hosting some of the brightest minds in the industry and sharing their insights with our listeners. As we look forward to 2025, we remain committed to bringing you the latest trends, technologies, and best practices to help you succeed in the ever-evolving restaurant landscape. Thank you for being a part of our journey, and here’s to another fantastic year ahead!
