News Briefs

Fourth announced the launch of the Restaurant Operations Suite. Powered by Fourth iQ, the Restaurant Operations Suite brings together HotSchedules Workforce Management, Fourth HR & Payroll, and MacromatiX Inventory Management into one connected solution for multi-location restaurant owners, operators and managers.

The Restaurant Operations Suite is a single place for restaurant owners / operators, above-store and in-store managers to manage their back-of-house scheduling, labor compliance, HR, payroll, earned wage access, and inventory. Powered by AI, the suite empowers managers with real-time above store insights and recommendations for in store actions that drive profitability at each location.

Across the Fourth customer base, on average, customers are seeing a 3-5% increase in profit, 5% reduction in labor costs, and 20% reduction in cost of goods sold.

“Restaurant managers are at the center of everything—but they’re stretched thin, constantly shifting between a variety of manual tasks like scheduling, payroll, and making inventory decisions.” said Clinton Anderson, CEO at Fourth. “The Restaurant Operations Suite enables restaurant managers, area coaches and operations managers to spend less time on manual work and instead focus on leading their teams and delivering a better customer experience at each location.”

“Embracing the Fourth solution has become a strategically important initiative for our business as we look for new ways to increase operational efficiency to deliver great customer and family member experiences,” said Jerry Phillips, VP of Technology at Whataburger. “With Fourth, we have a partner with deep industry expertise and the right technology to help us embed AI across our back-office operations.”

The latest release delivers a wide range of new capabilities aimed at improving manager productivity and reducing operational complexity:

• Above Store Real-Time Dashboards offer instant visibility into operational KPIs across each location, allowing teams to drive in store actions and proactively address issues before they affect customer experience or profitability.
• Digital Tip Payouts automate tip distributions, reduce manual work and cash handling (saving up to 80% of a manager’s time with tip calculation and distribution), and improve employee satisfaction with fast, accurate payments.
• Forecast Manager provides a single view of forecasted demand at each location so you can improve coordination, planning and deployment of labor and inventory decisions.
• AI Demand Forecasting engine that enables managers to reduce labor inefficiencies, improve cost control, and increase margins by adjusting staffing and inventory levels based on real-time demand patterns (with customers seeing 20%+ increase in forecast accuracy).

“With over 25 years serving the restaurant industry, we’ve seen firsthand the pressure restaurant managers face every day. The Restaurant Operations Suite is our answer to that challenge—putting modern tools and AI-powered guidance directly in their hands,” said Christian Berthelsen, Chief Technology Officer at Fourth. “It’s not just about reducing admin work—it’s about unlocking better decisions, faster responses, and stronger performance across every location.”

To learn more, visit the Fourth website. Additionally, the Fourth team will be at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix from April 14-16 (Booth 238). Clinton Anderson, CEO of Fourth, will also be leading a panel at the show with Brinker International and The Flynn Group on how restaurant owners/operators can improve profit by making managers more productive with AI and data.

Presto Phoenix, Inc., a provider of drive-thru vice AI for the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry, announced the launch of its phone ordering business unit.

“Adding AI-native phone ordering is exciting as it will allow us to offer a broader spectrum of Voice AI solutions to our customers,” said Gee Lefevre, CEO of Presto. “Given our deep enterprise restaurant experience, our customers are asking us to be their one-stop shop for Voice AI. Phone ordering, while much simpler than drive-thru Voice AI, adds tangible value to them.”

Presto Phoenix, Inc. is the largest American drive-thru voice AI partner to the restaurant industry. Presto’s Voice AI products increase revenue, decrease labor costs, improve staff productivity, and standardize/enhance the guest experience.

In addition to its core drive-thru voice AI product, the company has, at various points, worked on or evaluated computer vision, kiosks, phone ordering, and robots - all purely in the restaurant vertical,  explained  Krishna K. Gupta, co-founder and Chairman of Presto.

“Every American industry will witness end-to-end, connected automation, and restaurants are no different,” added Gupta. “We want to build AI to SAY, SEE, and DO in a unified and magical manner to enable restaurant groups and their employees to take maximal advantage of the AI revolution. Voice AI is the first, critical key to unlocking this vision.”

Toast announced an agreement with Dine Brands Global Inc., the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar, IHOP, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop restaurants, to implement Toast technology at Applebee’s locations nationwide. In addition to Toast point-of-sale (POS) terminals, Applebee’s restaurants will use Toast Go  handhelds, Toast’s Kitchen Display Systems (KDS), and Restaurant Management Suite Enterprise.

Applebee’s, one of America’s largest casual dining restaurants, will utilize Toast technology to strengthen operational flexibility, provide greater ease of use and responsiveness, improve labor efficiency, and enhance the overall guest experience.

“This is a crucial step in the evolution of our 45-year-old brand,” said Justin Skelton, Chief Information Officer at Dine Brands. “POS and KDS systems are essential to efficient operations and can have major impacts on both the guest and team member experience. We look forward to working with Toast to enhance Applebee’s technology capabilities.”

“Delivering a great guest experience requires that our restaurants have exceptional tools and technology,” said Tom Finocchiaro, Vice President of Operations Services for Applebee’s. “By leveraging technology touchpoints, like handhelds to improve efficiency, our team members will have more time to interact with guests.”

“Applebee’s is an iconic brand and at the heart of so many communities. Like Toast, they are focused on enabling moments that bring people together around a great meal,” said Kelly Esten, Chief Marketing Officer at Toast. “We are thrilled to help Applebee’s and Dine Brands innovate their front- and back-of-house digital experience, while maintaining the best of this brand we know and love.”

Toast currently serves hundreds of multi-unit brands, including Caribou Coffee, Choice Hotels, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Craveworthy Brands, Perkins American Food Co., Nothing Bundt Cakes, Papa Gino's & D'Angelo, and Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill, among others. For more information about Toast and its enterprise capabilities, visit our Toast for Enterprise page.

ClearCOGS, a leading provider of AI-powered predictive analytics for restaurants, has raised $3.8 million in an oversubscribed seed funding round. 

The investment was led by Closed Loop Partners' Venture Group, with additional participation from Myriad Venture Partners, and Level Up Ventures, a venture arm of Hearst Corp.

ClearCOGS AI Forecasting

Attendees at MURTEC 2025 Experience Matters got to see ClearCOGS in action in RTN's Ring of Fire Competition. 

ClearCOGS provides restaurant operators with precise daily forecasts to optimize food preparation, ordering, and staffing decisions. By addressing the industry's chronic challenge of food waste - responsible for over $25 billion in annual losses in the U.S. - the technology enhances operational efficiency while helping operators make smarter, real-time decisions that drive both profitability and sustainability.

"Food waste prevention is essential to building a sustainable and profitable restaurant industry," said Danielle Joseph, Managing Director and Head of the Closed Loop Ventures Group at Closed Loop Partners. "ClearCOGS offers an impactful solution that aligns perfectly with our mission to build a circular economy. By providing clarity and precision to restaurant operators, ClearCOGS is helping to reduce food waste while simultaneously driving stronger business outcomes."

Related:  Start-Up Spotlight: ClearCOGS Takes the Guesswork out of Restaurant Ops with Predictive Data

ClearCOGS leverages advanced AI technology to translate complex operational data into clear, daily guidance, enabling restaurant operators to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and enhance profitability in an industry historically burdened by tight margins and unpredictable demand.

"At ClearCOGS, we believe restaurant operators shouldn't have to navigate uncertainty alone," said Matt Wampler, CEO of ClearCOGS. "This funding empowers us to extend our reach and deliver the practical, reliable forecasting tools that restaurant operators need to consistently achieve better operational outcomes."

Myriad Venture Partners, a firm investing in next-generation leaders in AI and enterprise software, recognizes the transformative potential of ClearCOGS' solutions. "ClearCOGS exemplifies the type of startups we welcome into our portfolio: those leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive new efficiencies into the DNA of our top industries," said Chris Fisher, Founder and Managing Partner at Myriad Venture Partners. "We're excited to back a company with a platform that sets a bold new standard for how AI can drive lasting, tech-enabled transformation in food service."

The $3.8 million Seed round funding will accelerate ClearCOG's product development and customer acquisition efforts, positioning the company to rapidly expand its presence in the food service sector. ClearCOGS is already trusted by leading restaurant brands to optimize operational decisions, reduce waste, and elevate overall profitability.