The Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast brought to you by Custom Business Solutions

Hosted by Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast, sponsored by Custom Business Solutions

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358

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Restaurant Technology Podcasters... Drawing from years of combined experience in restaurant technology, implementation, and marketing, The Restaurant Technology Guys are here to help you run your business better. Check them out www.restauranttechnologyguys.com Jeremy literally grew up in the Restaurant Technology Industry. His family is the founders of Custom Business Solutions, Inc. and Jeremy’s early school vacations were spent soldering components for restaurant customers. Twenty-plus years later and Jeremy is COO for CBS, in charge of the implementation of technology systems for CBS customers. It’s fair to say that Jeremy is very much in touch with the challenges and issues facing restaurant operators in the area of technology systems. Outside of CBS, Jeremy and his wife Michelle are the busy parents of two boys and two girls. The family’s youngest son was adopted from Uganda. Four kids, youth sports, church and many other activities mean non-stop action at the Julian household. Jeremy is a big fan of baseball and soccer. When not cheering on the kids in sports Jeremy enjoys cooking and watching Food Network.

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60 recent

September 7, 202639 min

US Foods’ Menu IQ: Snap a Recipe, See Your Food Cost — James Jones

The conversation covers James D. Jones' background in technology, US Foods' technology-forward approach, the challenges of technology adoption in the food service industry, the impact of COVID-19 on technology adoption, and the development of US Foods' e-commerce platform and sales CRM transformation. It also delves into the benefits of US Foods' Moxie and Menu IQ tools, the use of AI in menu profitability, and the future of technology in the food service industry. Takeaways Technology adoption in the food service industry has been slow but is accelerating due to factors like COVID-19 and the move into AI. US Foods is investing in technology to automate processes, improve customer service, and provide transparency in inventory and pricing. The Moxie and Menu IQ tools from US Foods are designed to simplify ordering, inventory management, and menu profitability for restaurant operators. The future of technology in the food service industry involves predictive analytics, flexible delivery options, and tools to help operators make informed decisions about menu innovation and ingredient choices. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 02:53 Challenges of Technology Adoption in Food Service 06:56 US Foods' Technology-Forward Approach 08:08 Benefits of Moxie and Menu IQ Tools 29:31 Future of Technology in the Food Service Industry

August 31, 202643 min

California Pizza Kitchen Scaled on Culture — Rick Rosenfield

Rick Rosenfield, co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen, shares the story of how he and his partner, Larry Flax, changed the way America eats pizza. From their humble beginnings as federal prosecutors to creating a unique brand that set trends and transformed the industry, Rick's journey is a testament to innovation and vision. The conversation delves into the creation of California style pizza, the introduction of upscale casual dining, and the translation of unique flavors to salads, all of which contributed to the success of California Pizza Kitchen. The conversation with Rick Rosenfield covers the growth and development of the California Pizza Kitchen brand, focusing on the unique open kitchen design, the selection of locations, and the establishment of a strong company culture. Rick also discusses the motivation behind writing the book and the importance of fostering a strong culture in business. Takeaways Innovation in the restaurant industry Creating cravable menu items Open kitchen design Opportunistic real estate strategy Building a strong company culture Motivation behind writing the book Chapters 00:00 The Birth of California Pizza Kitchen 01:40 From Law to Pizza 03:02 The Emergence of California Style Pizza 04:29 Expanding the Brand and Concept 07:05 Anchoring Upscale Shopping Centers 08:04 The Evolution of Menu and Concept 09:02 The Strategy of Upscale Casual Dining 13:32 Innovative Menu Creation 18:37 Transition to Salads 21:54 The Unique Open Kitchen Design 22:50 Selecting Locations and Staffing 29:11 The Evolution of CPK's Culture 37:42 The Motivation Behind Writing the Book

August 24, 202641 min

Surcheros: The Tex-Mex Franchise Winning in Towns Everyone Else Skips

The Restaurant Technology Guys podcast features Luke Christian and Jake Philpotts ,, the founder and vice president of development at Surcheros, a fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant chain. They discuss the unique founding story, the passion for people, site selection, off-prem sales, and the franchisee experience. Takeaways Passion for people drives the success of Surcheros. Site selection and off-prem sales are critical for the growth of the brand. Franchisees are attracted to the authenticity and transparency of the Surcheros team. Chapters 00:00 Founding Story and Unique Concept 03:16 Passion for People and Purpose 06:32 Site Selection and Off-Prem Sales 09:27 Franchisee Experience and Engagement 25:19 Product Differentiation and Innovation 29:57 Franchisee Selection and Cultural Fit 33:07 Brand Expansion and Product Recommendations

August 17, 202631 min

Don’t Mess With Breakfast: Inside The Big Biscuit — Chad Offerdahl

The CEO of The Big Biscuit, Chad Offerdahl, shares the brand's journey, growth, and menu innovation. He discusses the concept's focus on Southern comfort food, the success of traditional breakfast items, and the balance between technology and hospitality. The brand's regional expansion and franchisee selection criteria are also highlighted. Takeaways Southern comfort food is experiencing a resurgence in the marketplace, with a shift towards traditional and reliable breakfast options. The Big Biscuit emphasizes cultural fit and shared values when selecting franchisees, focusing on regional growth and operational simplicity. Menu innovation is driven by guest demand, operational feasibility, and the brand's commitment to traditional breakfast offerings. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to The Big Biscuit 01:30 The Story Behind The Big Biscuit 04:31 The Resurgence of Traditional Breakfast 06:26 Kansas City as a Hub for Restaurant Brands 09:30 Service Model and Hospitality 11:15 Balancing Technology and Hospitality 14:18 Franchise Expansion and Selection Criteria 21:29 Menu Innovation and Guest Experience

August 10, 202631 min

Restaurant Cooking Oil, Reinvented: RTI’s Alissa Partee

The conversation covers the process of managing used cooking oil in restaurants, the innovative solutions provided by Restaurant Technologies Incorporated (RTI), and the environmental impact of their services. The incoming CEO, Alyssa Partee, discusses the company's closed-loop cooking oil network, its impact on green diesel production, and the importance of proper oil disposal. She also highlights the company's consultative approach to partnerships and the benefits of their automated oil management system. Takeaways Closed-loop cooking oil network Impact on green diesel production Consultative approach to partnerships Benefits of automated oil management system Chapters 00:00 Introduction to RTI and Cooking Oil Management 03:03 Alyssa Partee's Background and Role at RTI 07:27 RTI's Innovative Solutions and Partnerships 16:02 Total Oil Management and Just-in-Time Delivery 26:19 Environmental Impact and Brand Partnerships 29:44 Engagement and Conclusion

July 30, 202610 min

RTG Insights – AI-Powered Forecasting: Cutting Food Waste Before It Starts

The conversation explores the use of AI in forecasting food costs and demand in the restaurant industry. It emphasizes the importance of leveraging data and machine learning models to optimize purchasing, reduce waste, and improve overall restaurant performance. Takeaways AI can help forecast food costs and demand Leveraging data and machine learning models can optimize purchasing and reduce waste Chapters 00:00 AI in Forecasting Food Costs 01:25 Building a Smart Prep List 03:23 Demand Forecasting and Purchasing Behavior 05:50 Factors Influencing Purchasing Behavior 07:16 Tracking Waste and Behavior Changes 08:16 Training and Enhancing AI Systems

August 3, 202637 min

Cracking Eggs in the Drive-Thru: Farmer Boys’ John Lucas

The conversation covers the introduction of Farmer Boys, the concept of the brand, John's culinary journey, expansion and franchising, the franchisee vetting process, and favorite Farmer Boys menu items. The brand's diverse menu and commitment to quality ingredients are highlighted throughout the discussion. Takeaways Diverse Menu Quality Ingredients Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Farmer Boys 05:16 The Farmer Boys Concept 09:25 John's Culinary Journey 22:46 Expansion and Franchising 29:53 Franchisee Vetting Process 35:29 Favorite Farmer Boys Menu Items

July 27, 202640 min

The $30,000 Refund Nobody Caught: MachineQ’s Tom Woodbury

The conversation covers a wide range of topics related to the implementation of IoT and AI in the restaurant industry. It explores the impact of security camera audits, the introduction of IoT technology, the automation of mundane tasks, the challenges and solutions in IoT implementation, the paradigm shift in data management, the reliability and security of IoT data, and the future of IoT and AI in restaurants. The discussion also delves into the impact of IoT on network traffic, actionable insights and AI augmentation, preventative maintenance, and incremental adoption of IoT solutions. The conversation emphasizes the importance of vision intelligence and AI in restaurants, as well as the engagement with MachineQ for IoT solutions. Takeaways IoT and AI play a crucial role in automating mundane tasks and improving operational efficiency in the restaurant industry. The adoption of IoT solutions can lead to significant cost savings, improved food safety, and enhanced customer satisfaction. Vision intelligence and AI augmentation are key components in the future of IoT implementation in restaurants. Chapters 00:00 The Impact of Security Camera Audit 01:25 Introduction to Tom Woodbury and Restaurant Technologies 02:19 Restaurant Technology and Operational Efficiency 03:30 Automating Mundane Tasks with IoT 04:52 Automating Tasks for Operational Efficiency 05:28 Adoption of IoT in Restaurants 06:24 ROI and Benefits of IoT in Restaurants 08:29 Challenges and Solutions in IoT Implementation 09:49 Paradigm Shift in Data Management 10:47 Reliability and Security of IoT Data 12:42 Food Safety and Preventative Maintenance 13:56 Behavioral Insights and Spoilage Prevention 15:47 IoT Management in Front of House 16:45 Automating Tasks for Operational Efficiency 17:42 Micro Improvements and Cost Savings 18:17 Evolution of IoT and AI in Restaurants 19:41 Impact of IoT on Network Traffic 20:48 Security and Reliability of IoT Networks 22:40 Actionable Insights and AI Augmentation 23:37 Engagement with MachineQ 24:04 Future of IoT and AI in Restaurants 25:23 Vision Intelligence and AI in Restaurants 26:47 Preventative Maintenance and AI Augmentation 28:20 Engagement with MachineQ 29:14 AI Augmentation and Preventative Maintenance 30:12 Incremental Adoption of IoT Solutions 31:12 Engagement with MachineQ 32:26 Future of IoT and AI in Restaurants 33:15 Engagement with MachineQ 34:18 Future of IoT and AI in Restaurants 35:22 Vision Intelligence and AI in Restaurants 36:46 Impact of Vision Intelligence in Restaurants 37:43 Engagement with MachineQ 38:19 Incremental Adoption of IoT Solutions

July 13, 202644 min

Restaurant Scheduling, Fixed: How Shiftwerx Cuts the Chaos

00:00 Introduction and Jeremy's opening remarks 00:26 Guest introduction: Jake and his background 01:18 The chaos of restaurant scheduling and initial solutions 02:15 The inspiration behind Shiftwerx and its core features 04:09 Gathering staff preferences and creating schedules 05:37 In-app currency and shift trading market 07:33 Understanding restaurant needs and data integration 09:18 Handling staff availability and schedule changes 11:10 Staff morale, control, and fairness in scheduling 13:02 Tools for schedule creation and automation 17:21 Market features: shift swaps, incentives, and safety 19:45 Use of AI and avoiding hallucinations in scheduling 23:45 Deterministic algorithms and fairness in AI scheduling 26:44 Marketplace philosophy and shift trading benefits 33:21 Market incentives and employee engagement 37:57 How to get started with Shiftwerx 40:44 Target audience and scalability of the platform 43:09 Closing remarks and future outlook

July 6, 202641 min

Turning One-Time Visits Into Loyalty: Guestologie’s Ryan

00:00 Introduction to Ryan Volberg and His Journey 02:48 The Evolution of Restaurant Technology 05:49 The Concept of Daily Pay for Hospitality Workers 08:25 Introducing Guestology: A New Approach to Guest Engagement 11:05 Understanding Guest Loyalty and Retention 14:06 The Mechanics of Guest Recognition and Personalization 21:18 Crafting Personalized Guest Experiences 23:07 The Power of Machine Learning in Hospitality 24:24 Understanding the SAPS Model for Guest Loyalty 26:58 The Cost of Loyalty: Status vs. Discounts 29:42 Attribution and Proving Value in Guest Engagement 30:18 Engaging Occasional Guests: Strategies for Retention 36:43 Building Lasting Relationships with Guests