New AI Use Cases for Restaurants
Restaurant Technology Network’s (RTN’s) AI Share Group on January 29 showcased hot AI solutions already being leveraged in the restaurant industry.
Hospitality Technology’s Vice President and Brand Director & RTN Co-Founder, Abigail Lorden, kicked off the call and facilitated short speaker discussions, offering a glimpse into real-world AI applications. These included computer vision in the drive-thru, AI-driven integration and operations, agent-as-a-service models, and more—all aimed at improving guest and employee experiences.
Driving Insights
The first solution discussed was Fingermark’s Eyecue, which has been in use at McDonald’s Australia for over six years.
Simon Foley, Head of Innovation, and Tim Yarbrough, Director of Technical Pre-Sales, highlighted the real-world capabilities of Eyecue, an edge AI platform that leverages camera footage and timers to monitor and analyze drive-thru and in-store operations for quick-service restaurants. The system captures events across the restaurant, categorizes them, and provides insights to enhance efficiency and training.
“This has changed how and what we understand about restaurant operations,” Yarbrough said. “We developed this tool to capture and categorize events in and around the restaurant so they can be easily identified and reviewed later.”
Previously, operations teams spent hours searching through footage to understand specific incidents and apply insights to training programs. With Eyecue’s computer vision capabilities, key moments are automatically tagged and identified.
For example, if a drive-thru backup occurs, Eyecue can flag the issue and trace it to a delay in the fry station, where fries were not dropped quickly enough.
“The information we gather and auto-summarize allows us to suggest triggers and thresholds to stores, removing the need for manual setup and guiding them on what they need to monitor for operational success,” Foley added.
Pilots are currently underway with several North American restaurant chains.
Kevin Bentley from Jollibee Foods asked about compliance with evolving data privacy laws, which vary by state. Foley assured attendees that Fingermark is closely monitoring these regulations.
“We built our system from the ground up to ensure we’re not collecting any customer information,” Foley said. “As our brands explore potential integrations with loyalty systems, we’re treading carefully. It’s about opt-in consent and clear customer notifications—similar to how voice AI systems operate.”
Watch the full RTN AI Share Group below
Insights from a Systems Integrator
Paul Schwantes, Digital Services Manager at The Howard Company, shared insights on how AI is being integrated across restaurant operations. The Howard Company, which has been in business for 75 years, is well known for branding signage and drive-thru solutions. As a systems integrator, it works with AI technologies such as computer vision, machine learning, and conversational AI.
The Howard Company has partnered with multiple conversational AI providers and developed its own software to bridge gaps between different systems. “Our solution acts as the glue that brings everything together,” Schwantes said. “For example, brands want data to flow seamlessly to a digital display for order confirmation. However, there are times when human intervention is needed, and our system listens for that and adapts accordingly.”
Beyond drive-thrus, The Howard Company has collaborated with machine learning and kiosk manufacturers to conduct A/B testing on upsell strategies. The AI-driven system learns which items perform best at each location, adjusting recommendations based on regional trends.
“In different parts of the country, even within the same chain, customer preferences vary,” Schwantes explained. “Our system identifies these trends and presents the best upsell options to maximize margins for specific locations.”
Schwantes emphasized the importance of natural language processing in AI systems and the challenges of AI adoption in restaurants. He noted that many operators face “educational hurdles” when implementing AI, and franchise models introduce complexities in maintaining consistent guest experiences across locations. Additionally, infrastructure upgrades are often needed to support AI technology.
Using AI to Create More Engaging & Empathetic Experiences
Oliver “Oli" Ostertag, GM of Operator Cloud at PAR Technology, shared examples of harnessing AI to create more engaging customer experiences while driving both efficiency and empathy. From personalized menu suggestions to more human-like interactions, AI has the potential to enhance the customer experience significantly.
“We've spent a lot of time speaking to franchisees and restaurant operators to understand their expectations for AI in 2025 and beyond. AI is more than just analytics—there's a lot more we can do with innovation in this space,” Ostertag said.
Promoting AI as an Empathetic Partner Customers have many dining options and proactively choose one location over another.
“Customers expect AI to enhance their experience. They want to feel seen and understood by the brand,” Ostertag said.
Two key areas showing progress are voice AI and kiosk personalization.
With voice AI, “a lot of innovation is focused on creating interactions that feel human and exude empathy. The next step is integrating a brand ambassador into the AI voice to drive deeper customer engagement,” Ostertag noted. Several brands are experimenting with incorporating their brand personas into these systems.
“Ultimately, digital touchpoints must offer something unique. Customers aren’t just buying a burger—they’re engaging with the brand. Voice AI and kiosk personalization are two of the most immediate ways we’ve seen brands and franchisees thinking about this,” he added.
AI is also enhancing efficiency. “Where efficiency meets personalization, predictive inventory management allows AI to identify expiring stock and promote creative, revenue-driving offers,” Ostertag explained.
For instance, if a location has an oversupply of hot dogs, AI can suggest a fun promotion to sell more while reducing waste. AI also helps analyze inventory, create targeted promotions, optimize labor scheduling, and predict financial outcomes.
Following its acquisition of Delaget, PAR is investing heavily in AI innovation, transitioning from software as a service to an “agent as a service” model.
“AI is not about replacing humans but about driving better results and streamlining processes,” Ostertag said.
Get Involved!
Want to be a part of the next RTN AI Share Group? These informative sessions – and all RTN workgroups -- are open to all restaurant operators. Sign up here. Technology vendors: got a solution that should be featured in RTN’s next Town Hall? Contact Tammy Hanson at tammy@restauranttechnologynetwork.com.
