Podcast Summary: RESTAURANT STRATEGY

Episode: Talking AI with Ink Tank GTM Co-Founders
Host: Chip Klose
Guests: Beck (CEO, Ink Tank), Chad Horn (COO, Ink Tank)
Date: September 11, 2025

Overview: Main Theme & Purpose

This episode takes a practical deep dive into artificial intelligence (AI) for independent restaurant owners and operators. Host Chip Klose interviews Beck and Chad Horn, co-founders of Ink Tank GTM, about how AI is already reshaping the hospitality industry, what changes are coming, and—crucially—how independent operators can immediately leverage AI for profitability, efficiency, and scalability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Current State of Tech in Restaurants (07:02–11:04)

• Explosion of Restaurant Tech: In 2025, restaurants operate with 20–25 different pieces of software (“a little bit nuts” – [08:10] Beck).
• From Frankenstein Systems to Consolidation: Over the next five years, expect a rapid consolidation of tech platforms, powered by AI and integration (08:10–09:52).
• SaaS Fatigue: Operators are suffering from “SaaS fatigue” due to stacking subscriptions and unclear ROI.
• Rapid Development: Small teams can now build powerful, bespoke tech at lightning speed and lower costs, shifting power from tech providers to operators (10:00–11:04 Chad).

2. Essentials vs. “Nice-To-Haves” in Restaurant Tech (11:04–16:28)

• Building a Minimal Effective Tech Stack ([12:28]–[15:24] Chip):
  • Capture revenue: POS system to trade food for money
  • Manage expenses: Cost of goods (inventory/ordering) and labor
  • Forecasting: Accurate projections for planning and scheduling
  • Channel fit: Online ordering or reservation management, based on your core business model
• “Would you spend $300 to save $3,000? Quick math tells me that's 10 to 1 ROI. That's a no-brainer, right?” – [14:09] Chip
• Operators often survive on fewer tools than optimal—and AI will simplify the necessary ones even further.

3. Fundamentals, Forecasting, and The AI Tipping Point (16:28–20:32)

• Forecasting as a Crucial Skill: Tools like TimeForge (now powered by Lineup AI) are highlighted for dynamic, multi-factor forecasting ([13:13–16:28]).
• “AI can just scour the entire internet and say, ‘Here's all the things you didn't think to think about.’” – [17:49] Chip
• Mindset Change: Whereas AI once seemed like a “nice to have” or a shortcut, AI now actively supports the fundamentals.

4. Practical, Hands-On Use of AI Day-to-Day (21:02–25:10)

• AI as Personal Assistant: Use tools like ChatGPT by voice (“not one that you type to, you talk to it”—[21:32] Beck), e.g.:
  • Ask strategy or business questions in plain language
  • Instantly generate frameworks, emails, SOPs, or spreadsheets
  • Automate mundane but essential planning and documentation (“This is what I do in the morning when I’m in the shower…by the time I sit at my desk it's waiting for me on a list.” – [22:46] Beck)
• Voice-to-AI: Beck demonstrates conversational querying for business decisions in real time ([21:32–22:26]).

5. Real Cases and SOP Automation (25:15–30:23)

• SOP Creation via AI ([25:15–29:25]):
  • Reference to Cody Sanchez’s “Three by Three Rule”—if a task has three or more steps and is done three or more times a month, automate it with an SOP ([25:57] Chip).
  • Example: Manager narrates out loud how inventory is done; AI generates an SOP instantly; aggregate all into a voice-searchable library.
• Quote:
  “He’s got sous chefs walking around, holding the phone, speaking into it and basically saying… ‘can you build me an SOP so that I could teach my replacement to do exactly what I do?’… in one month he’ll have SOPs for every single inch of his thing.” – [28:18] Chip
• Living Knowledge Base: SOPs are searchable, accessible, and actionable—for onboarding, troubleshooting, or covering shifts.

6. AI for Menu Engineering and Adaptation (30:23–32:02)

• Data-Driven Menu Optimization:
  • Feed historical sales, menu data, and costs into AI to engineer new menus, maximize profitability, and adapt to commodity swings or regulatory change ([30:23–32:02] Beck & Chip).
• Variable Analysis: “What is going to be impacted on my menu by the tariffs coming right now—and what should I…redirect to make sure you’re not impacted?” – [31:43] Beck

7. Learning, Comfort, and Experimentation with AI (32:02–35:07)

• Barrier Lowering: “This is something you could talk to about anything and not sound stupid and learn what you need to learn so you can have the bigger conversations.” – [32:39] Beck
• Key Advice: Just start using AI conversationally, as you would with a trusted—but nonjudgmental—assistant.

8. Favorite AI Tools and Closing Thoughts (33:47–35:07)

• Best AI Tools for Restaurateurs:
  • ChatGPT (most user-friendly interface and team collaboration)
  • Gemini (sometimes better outputs for certain queries)
  • Claude (more organic, natural writing style)
• Final Words:
  • “When it comes to AI, it will happen even if you try to ignore it. So lean into it instead of leaning away… even if it’s five minutes a day.” – [34:27] Chad Horn
  • “Systems are only as good as the user. Take the time to learn them and make them sing—otherwise you’re wasting money.” – [34:43] Beck

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tech Overload:
  “In a modern restaurant, they’re running between 20 and 25 pieces of software concurrently to run the business.” – [08:10] Beck

• On AI’s Potential in Restaurant Operations:
  “You can develop anything from scratch and have it be on par or better in a fairly short period of time for a fraction of the cost… More power in their hands, delivered more efficiently and more cost effectively.” – [10:00–11:04] Chad Horn

• On Efficiency:
  “Most people… don’t have enough time for anything. I think one of the greatest utilities this thing has is actually as a personal assistant. Not one that you type to, you talk to it…” – [21:32] Beck

• On SOP Automation:
  “If something you do has three steps or more and you do it at least three times a month, that’s something that needs an SOP… Now we bring it back to something that my one of my members had said. …they are just automating it, figure out what it is you do… and at the end say, can you build me an SOP so that I could teach my replacement to do exactly what I do…” – [25:57–28:18] Chip

• Reality Check:
  “The most impactful restaurant technology will increasingly not be specific to restaurants. It'll just be the tools of the trade with AI that let you run a business better.” – [30:05] Chad Horn

• On Getting Started:
  “Just start talking to it, getting to know it…You are meant to talk to it…to spitball ideas and all of that.” – [32:02] Chip

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [07:02] – State of Tech & SaaS Fatigue
• [12:28] – Essentials for Any Restaurant Tech Stack
• [16:28] – AI Makes Fundamentals Easier
• [21:02] – Using AI as Your Personal Restaurant Assistant
• [25:15] – SOPs Automated by AI (3-by-3 rule)
• [28:18] – Case Example: AI-driven SOP Knowledge Base
• [30:23] – Using AI for Menu Engineering & Data-Driven Changes
• [32:39] – Overcoming the Learning Curve: Comfort with AI
• [33:47] – Favorite AI Tools: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude
• [34:27] – Final Thoughts & Advice

Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is highly practical, approachable, and focused on action—not hype. The guests emphasize that AI is not just for big companies or techies; it’s immediately accessible for everyday operators and can create real, measurable ROI through time savings, better decision-making, and scaling best practices.

In short:

• AI is here.
• Start small.
• Use it as a hands-on assistant, not just a search engine.
• Your SOPs, your menu decisions, and even your onboarding can all be improved—starting now.

How to Connect with the Guests

• Beck: Follow on LinkedIn, Ink Tank GTM page, or inktankgtm.com. Subscribe to the Ink Tank Dispatch newsletter ([35:24] Beck).
• Chad Horn: Meet in person at industry events. “There’s more value in meeting in person than there’s ever been.” ([35:44] Chad)

For independent restaurant operators:
If you haven’t started using AI, dedicate a few minutes each day to experiment. Begin by speaking to it like you would a trusted team member. Automate your repeatable tasks, and watch your operation get smoother and more profitable, fast.