RESTAURANT STRATEGY PODCAST
Host: Chip Klose
Episode: Top 100 Restaurant Podcaster, Jeremy Julian
Guest: Jeremy Julian (CRO, CBS North Star; Host, Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast)
Date: August 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Chip Klose sits down with Jeremy Julian, a leading voice in restaurant technology and host of the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast, to demystify the evolving world of the restaurant tech stack. The conversation covers key topics such as defining a restaurant tech stack, the pitfalls of technology failure, the future of automation and AI, and the pros and cons of technology consolidation. Julian shares insightful, practical advice for independent restaurant owners and operators on how to approach technology to increase profitability, streamline operations, and create remarkable guest experiences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jeremy Julian’s Credentials & Motivation

• Background: Jeremy has worked in virtually every restaurant role since his youth, from waiting tables to fixing printers, and has deep experience in restaurant technology.
• Podcast Mission: Started his podcast to give back and help restaurateurs avoid preventable failure through better tech adoption ([04:08]).

“I see too many of [restaurants] fail for preventable reasons... especially around tech. So I decided about five years ago to get into the podcast game, really just to give back.”
— Jeremy Julian ([04:08])

2. The Evolution and Role of Technology in Restaurants

• Historic Perspective: Technology has evolved from cash registers to electronic POS systems and now permeates every restaurant area, including site selection ([05:52]).
• Brand and Experience: The visibility and role of tech should reflect the brand. For fine dining, tech should be invisible; for convenience-focused concepts like Sweetgreen, it’s a selling point.

“There’s not a piece of restaurants that technology doesn’t touch... If I’m a fine dining three Michelin star, technology might need to not be seen.”
— Jeremy Julian ([05:52])

3. Defining and Building a Restaurant Tech Stack ([09:18])

• What is a Tech Stack?
  All technological tools used to deliver products and experiences, including POS, kitchen screens, apps, websites, delivery integrations, etc.
• Expansion Over Time: Restaurants have gone from 2-3 integrations to 12-14 on average, managing everything from third-party delivery to CDP and marketing automation.
• Right Sizing: Not every operation needs every tool; the stack should reflect business goals and guest experience.

“Some brands go way overboard and have more tech than they probably need, whereas others... could learn some things and maybe do some investments to make things better.”
— Jeremy Julian ([09:18])

4. How to Approach Tech Choices and Avoid Overload ([10:59])

• Start With the Guest & Business Objective:
  Begin with the end in mind—define what experience you want to deliver.
• Customization Over Copying:
  Don’t copy another restaurant’s tech just because it works for them; context matters (suburban family dining vs. urban smoothie shop).
• Platform Openness:
  Choose tech that allows integrations—avoid walled gardens. This enables easier evolution and avoids vendor lock-in.

“As an owner, you have to start with the end in mind… Your technology providers should be partners to your business...”
— Jeremy Julian ([10:59])

5. Essential (Non-Negotiable) Parts of the Tech Stack for Profitability ([13:14])

Chip’s “Profit-First” Tech Framework:

• POS System
• Inventory/COGS Management
• Labor Management
• Reservation/Waitlist (for full service)
• Online Ordering (for QSR/fast casual)

Jeremy’s Addition:

• Kitchen Management System — Critical for ensuring off-premise accuracy and for tracking quality, especially as takeout growth continues.

“Having an accurate kitchen management system that can tell you who’s doing well ... is a really big piece that I think people underestimate...”
— Jeremy Julian ([15:59])

6. The Great Tech Consolidation Debate ([17:09])

Chip’s Position:

• Consolidation sounds easy but rarely produces true best-in-class platforms. Monopolies erode choice and can inflate costs.

Jeremy’s Position:

• Agrees with Chip; freedom of choice and open APIs benefit restaurants and foster innovation.
• “Unified” suites are often marketing illusions—backend systems remain siloed for years after mergers.
• The best integration: Best-of-breed solutions working seamlessly together.

“There’s this fallacy that restaurant owners believe... that everything works together. Nine times out of 10, it takes many, many years... it is still operated in a silo.”
— Jeremy Julian ([19:19])

7. Overcoming Tech Change Paralysis & Why Tech Fails ([22:33])

Main Failure Points:

1. Lack of Clear Project Definition:
   No succinct statement (“impact filter”) of what’s being accomplished.
2. Under-resourcing:
   Assigning projects without giving staff the needed time or support.
3. Trying to Do Too Much at Once:
   Attempting multiple changes in parallel overwhelms teams.

Solution:
Use concrete, one-page project plans (e.g., Dan Sullivan’s Impact Filter).

“The biggest thing... is they have these perceptions... but nobody has an idea about where they’re going.”
— Jeremy Julian ([23:43])

8. Evaluating Tech ROI and Moving On From Sunk Costs ([25:58])

• Regular Assessment:
  Use project charters with defined success criteria.
• Be Nimble:
  Don’t let sunk costs dictate future decisions—pivot quickly if solutions fail to deliver.

“The biggest asset we have... is being nimble, is that we can change directions very quick. We are a speedboat, not a massive ocean liner.”
— Chip Klose ([25:58])

“With the impact filter... you can say, ‘What does success look like?’ If I didn’t hit these, why didn’t I hit them?”
— Jeremy Julian ([28:06])

9. The Future: Automation, AI, and the Changing Nature of Restaurant Work ([30:34])

• Prediction:
  Automation will replace roles people don’t want to do, freeing humans for guest-facing experiences.
• Not to Eliminate Jobs:
  Will allow employees to focus on what only humans can do—creating connections and memorable experiences.
• Servers as Sales and Experience Experts:
  As tech handles ordering/payment, remaining roles require higher hospitality and sales skills.

“The robots are coming, but not to take jobs, but to give us the space to be humans again and not let us be human robots inside of these establishments.”
— Jeremy Julian ([30:34])

• Case Study:
  McDonald’s leveraged kiosks, mobile ordering, and drive-thru improvements not to eliminate staff but to enhance their brand promise: "the most convenient restaurant" ([34:23]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tech Stack Overload:
  “Don’t go just add an online website or an app because your buddy... says ‘I got an app, dude, and it just killed it.’... You probably don’t need an app.”
  — Jeremy Julian ([10:59])

• On Tech Consolidation Myths:
  “The website shows this unified front. But then when you actually dig underneath the covers, it is absolutely not that case.”
  — Jeremy Julian ([19:19])

• On Failure and Sunk Costs:
  “They do not make future decisions based on sunk costs. It doesn’t matter how big the investment was... They will shut the project down.”
  — Chip Klose ([25:58])

• On the Role of Technology in Experience:
  “Technology can help us be better at creating better experiences... Eleven Madison Park... were able to use technology to accomplish that.”
  — Chip Klose ([37:52])

• On the Human Element:
  “If we can automate some of that, it creates an opportunity for them to hire somebody that truly wants to serve people, not this guy.”
  — Jeremy Julian ([33:22])

Important Timestamps

• 03:50 — Guest introduction, Jeremy Julian’s background
• 05:52 — Evolution of restaurant technology
• 09:18 — Defining the restaurant tech stack
• 10:59 — Evaluating, building, and right-sizing the tech stack
• 13:14 — The non-negotiables for a profitable restaurant tech stack
• 15:59 — Kitchen management systems: the overlooked essential
• 17:09 — Debating tech consolidation vs. diversification
• 19:19 — Why “suite” solutions rarely work, value of open APIs
• 22:33 — The real reasons restaurant tech implementations fail
• 25:58 — How to evaluate and pivot from tech investments
• 28:06 — Dan Sullivan’s Impact Filter explained
• 30:34 — The future: automation, AI, and freeing up staff for hospitality
• 34:23 — McDonald’s as a case study on tech, convenience, and brand promise
• 37:52 — Tech at the service of experience vs. convenience
• 38:44 — Final advice for tech-phobic owners

Final Thoughts from Jeremy Julian

“Technology is coming. If you are not considering it being a factor in your growth and your profitability, you need to find somebody on your team... There are so many pieces of technology that can help make your business better. Most of it’s just bad implementation—it’s not bad tech.”
— Jeremy Julian ([38:44])

Where to Find Jeremy Julian

• LinkedIn: @Jeremy Julian
• Podcast: Restaurant Technology Guys
• Company: CBS North Star

Resources Mentioned

• Dan Sullivan’s Impact Filter (Strategic Coach)

This episode is essential listening for every independent restaurant owner or operator who wants to get proactive about technology, focus on profitability, and future-proof their business in a rapidly changing industry. The conversation is packed with practical frameworks, industry wisdom, and actionable takeaways delivered in a candid, no-nonsense style.