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Phil Crawford on Why Small Brands are Beating Big Brands with AI
In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Phil Crawford, Global Head of Food and Beverage at Adyen. Known for his leadership at Shake Shack and CKE before moving into fintech, Phil shares why he made the jump from running restaurant tech to rethinking payments on a global scale.
They dive into how AI is already reshaping payment optimization, fraud prevention, and customer insights, and why the “absence of problems” may be the truest measure of success. Phil also breaks down the reality behind loyalty programs, how smaller brands often outpace legacy chains in adopting AI, and why CTOs should stop chasing shiny AI solutions and instead focus on building open, flexible systems that can adapt as the technology evolves.
From blockchain buzz to drive-thru automation, this wide-ranging conversation offers a candid look at the future of restaurant payments, the challenges of ROI, and what it really takes to make AI practical in hospitality.
Episode Links:
Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crawfordphil
Learn more about Adyen: https://www.adyen.com
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler
Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com
00:00 Intro
01:55 Welcome, Phil Crawford
04:42 How payments have changed
09:41 How data affects customer retention
13:36 Aligning digital, marketing and IT teams
18:47 Viewing AI as a large organization vs an emerging brand
23:40 AI can write code more efficiently than humans
24:45 Planning your tech stack for an uncertain future
28:55 Maturity of the concept is more important than the size
32:13 Outcomes-based pricing
39:22 The third & fourth waves of AI
49:20 Restaurant brands entering technology space
53:20 Biggest strategic technology mistake
56:25 Utilizing Ai as opportunistic vs strategic
1:02:11 Advice AI strategy
1:03:53 Personal AI tips
1:05:15 Outro
View all episodes
By Matt WamplerIn this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, sits down with Phil Crawford, Global Head of Food and Beverage at Adyen. Known for his leadership at Shake Shack and CKE before moving into fintech, Phil shares why he made the jump from running restaurant tech to rethinking payments on a global scale.
They dive into how AI is already reshaping payment optimization, fraud prevention, and customer insights, and why the “absence of problems” may be the truest measure of success. Phil also breaks down the reality behind loyalty programs, how smaller brands often outpace legacy chains in adopting AI, and why CTOs should stop chasing shiny AI solutions and instead focus on building open, flexible systems that can adapt as the technology evolves.
From blockchain buzz to drive-thru automation, this wide-ranging conversation offers a candid look at the future of restaurant payments, the challenges of ROI, and what it really takes to make AI practical in hospitality.
Episode Links:
Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crawfordphil
Learn more about Adyen: https://www.adyen.com
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler
Visit ClearCOGS: https://www.clearcogs.com
00:00 Intro
01:55 Welcome, Phil Crawford
04:42 How payments have changed
09:41 How data affects customer retention
13:36 Aligning digital, marketing and IT teams
18:47 Viewing AI as a large organization vs an emerging brand
23:40 AI can write code more efficiently than humans
24:45 Planning your tech stack for an uncertain future
28:55 Maturity of the concept is more important than the size
32:13 Outcomes-based pricing
39:22 The third & fourth waves of AI
49:20 Restaurant brands entering technology space
53:20 Biggest strategic technology mistake
56:25 Utilizing Ai as opportunistic vs strategic
1:02:11 Advice AI strategy
1:03:53 Personal AI tips
1:05:15 Outro