I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses.

In this episode, I break down how AI can be a game-changer for restaurant owners, not by replacing people, but by freeing them up to focus on what actually matters. We’re talking automation, streamlined marketing, and strategic delegation—because the secret to scaling isn’t working harder, it’s working smarter. I’ll walk you through how AI and well-crafted SOPs can help you reclaim your time, reduce the daily chaos, and set your restaurant up for long-term success. And here’s the kicker—you don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Start small, build momentum, and watch how AI helps take your business to the next level.

Takeaways:

• Money is the primary problem for restaurant owners.
• AI can help delegate tasks effectively.
• Overwhelm often comes from mismanaged tasks.
• Automated task audits can identify inefficiencies.
• AI can create structured SOPs from recorded tasks.
• Marketing consistency is key for restaurant success.
• AI can generate comprehensive marketing calendars.
• Engagement can increase with AI-driven marketing.
• Start with small AI implementations for better results.
• AI is a tool to amplify leadership in restaurants.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Profitability
02:06 Leveraging AI for Restaurant Efficiency
05:49 Streamlining Marketing with AI
10:03 Implementing AI in Manageable Steps

If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at [email protected] and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.