In Episode 478 of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger sits down with hospitality futurist and author Carl Orsbourn to discuss AI for restaurants, smarter restaurant systems, and the leadership required to navigate a changing industry.

Technology is everywhere right now. Every platform promises transformation. But most restaurant technology fails — not because it doesn’t work, but because it isn’t aligned with clear operational goals.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• When AI actually makes sense for restaurants

• Why most restaurant systems fail

• How strong leadership drives successful tech adoption

• The difference between management and true leadership

• Why unified data matters before deploying AI

• How standards, capabilities, and culture drive profitability

This episode is about building smarter restaurant systems that support stronger leadership, improve guest experience, and drive long-term profit.

Connect with Our Guest

Carl Orsbourn

Website: https://www.invisibletech.ai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlorssbourn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedigitalrestaurant/

X: https://x.com/carlorsbourn

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Smithfield Culinary – Premium proteins for every daypart.

https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

TouchBistro – All-in-one cloud POS built specifically for restaurants.

Exclusive savings: https://www.touchbistro.com/restaurantrockstars

Ajinomoto Foodservice – Labor-saving Asian-inspired menu solutions.

https://ajinomotofoodservice.com

Restaurant Rockstars Coaching – Increase profit, build a stronger team, and run a smarter operation.

https://restaurantrockstars.com/consulting/

Free Tools for Restaurant Owners

🔥 5-Day Menu Margin Makeover Challenge

https://restaurantrockstars.com/the-5-day-menu-margin-makeover-challenge/

🎓 Free Owner Training

www.restaurantacademy.online/get-free-training-owners

🚀 The Restaurant Academy

https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

Restaurant Leadership is the difference between running a restaurant and leading one.

In this episode, Roger sits down with a multi-unit operator to unpack the systems behind stronger leadership, tighter labor control, and better profitability.

We cover:

• Proactive labor management and forecasting

• Building and developing A-level managers

• Creating culture that drives accountability

• Using KPIs and structure to protect profit

• Scaling without losing standards

Better systems lead to better profits.

Connect with our guest:

https://citizensallday.com

https://www.instagram.com/citizen.allday/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-giuffrida-02187769/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/citizens-cafe-holdings/

https://wefunder.com/citizenscoffee

Sponsors:

Restaurant Rockstars Coaching – https://restaurantrockstars.com/consulting/

Ajinomoto Foods – https://ajinomotofoodservice.com

TouchBistro – https://www.touchbistro.com/restaurantrockstars

Smithfield Culinary – https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

AI is everywhere, but what actually works inside a real restaurant?

In this episode, Roger breaks down how restaurant owners are practically using AI to tackle today’s biggest challenges: rising labor costs, shrinking margins, inefficient systems, and marketing that doesn’t deliver ROI.

You’ll learn how AI can support:

• Inventory management and waste reduction

• Menu engineering and pricing decisions

• Smarter staff scheduling

• Marketing that’s trackable and profitable

This isn’t about hype or replacing people. It’s about using AI as a support system to tighten operations, protect profit, and help you run a better restaurant with less stress.

Thank you to our sponsors:

TouchBistro

An all-in-one, cloud-based POS and restaurant management system built exclusively for restaurants. Front of house, back of house, and guest engagement—fully connected. U.S. and Canada operators can save on upfront costs for a limited time.

👉 https://www.touchbistro.com/restaurantrockstars

Smithfield Culinary

Perfect proteins for every plate and every daypart—from ready-to-eat bacon to ground chorizo and the industry’s broadest pork portfolio. Serve what you love, and your guests will love it too.

👉 https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

Restaurant Rockstars Coaching

Increase profit, build a dream team, and execute marketing strategies that actually work. If you want to uplevel your operation and regain peace of mind, connect with Roger.

👉 https://restaurantrockstars.com/consulting/

Ajinomoto Foods

Fast, easy-to-prep frozen Asian products that look homemade and taste incredible. Save time, cut labor, and protect profits—without compromising quality.

👉 https://ajinomotofoodservice.com

Running a profitable restaurant doesn’t mean doing more — it means making simpler, smarter decisions.

In this episode of Restaurant Rockstars, Roger talks with Kelly of Hot Head Burritos about how focused menus, disciplined operations, and clearer decision-making lead to higher profit for independent restaurant owners.

Learn how simplifying menus, labor, tech, and daily decisions improves execution, margins, and sanity — without adding complexity.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• Ajinomoto Foods – Fast, easy-to-prep Asian products that save labor and protect profit

👉 https://ajinomotofoodservice.com

• Smithfield Culinary – Perfect proteins for every dish and every daypart

👉 https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

• AtlasNova – AI-powered insights for smarter restaurant decisions

👉 https://www.atlasnova.ai/rockstars

Get 20% off with code Rockstars20

For restaurant training, coaching, consulting, and the Restaurant Rockstars Academy, visit:

👉 https://restaurantrockstars.com

Connect with Our Guest

Facebook: @HotHeadBurritos

Instagram: @hotheadburritos

X: @hotheadburritos

Website: https://hotheadburritos.com

Most restaurant problems don’t come from a lack of effort, they come from a lack of systems.

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, I break down the restaurant systems and SOPs that actually move the needle on profit, with a clear focus on prime cost, consistency, and control.

We talk about why systems matter more than personalities, how the right SOPs protect your margins, and what happens when your restaurant can’t function without you constantly putting out fires.

You’ll learn:

✔️ Which restaurant systems impact prime cost the most

✔️ Why SOPs create consistency even when staff changes

✔️ How to reduce labor and food cost without micromanaging

✔️ The difference between being busy and being profitable

✔️ How to build a restaurant that runs smoother and makes more money

If you’re an independent restaurant owner who wants better margins, less chaos, and a business that runs consistently, this episode will give you a clear framework to think differently about operations.

👉 Learn more about proven restaurant systems inside the Restaurant Academy:

https://restaurantrockstars.com

Labor costs are squeezing restaurant owners harder than ever but some restaurants are quietly winning.

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger Beaudoin sits down with Lawrence from Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard to break down the thinking behind low-labor, high-margin restaurant models. This conversation isn’t about copying a walk-up counter concept, it’s about understanding the fundamentals that drive profitability, efficiency, and longevity in today’s restaurant economy.

We talk about why simpler operations often outperform complex ones, how smarter labor decisions protect margins, and why long-lasting restaurant brands stay deeply connected to their communities. Whether you run full service, fast casual, or multiple locations, the insights in this episode will challenge how you think about staffing, systems, and sustainable growth.

If you’re tired of working harder while margins keep shrinking, this episode will help you rethink what actually drives restaurant success.

Learn more about Restaurant Rockstars and the Academy:

👉 https://restaurantrockstars.com

👉 https://restaurantrockstars.com/podcast

Connect with Our Guest:

https://www.ritasice.com

https://www.instagram.com/ritasice/

https://www.facebook.com/RitasItalianIceCompany/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/rita's-italian-ice/

A global hospitality leader breaks down what really drives profitable restaurants. In this episode, Roger sits down with Marvin Alballi to unpack the thinking behind high standards, smart training, menu discipline, and guest-first leadership and why getting the fundamentals right is the most strategic move a restaurant operator can make.

Restaurant Rockstars Academy

Built for restaurant owners who want better margins, trained teams, and systems that actually work.

👉 https://restaurantrockstars.com

Restaurant Coaching & Consulting

Work directly with us to fix margins, improve execution, and build a restaurant that runs without chaos.

👉 https://restaurantrockstars.com/consulting

🎙 About the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast

Real conversations with operators, chefs, and hospitality leaders on what actually drives profitable restaurants...not theory, not trends.

Thank you to our sponsors:

• AtlasNova: AtlasNova is like having an AI CMO and COO built into one platform. It connects your POS and marketing data, tells you exactly what matters, and then actually helps execute: campaigns, insights, next best actions, all without adding headcount. Less guessing. Less busywork. Better results. If you want your business to run smarter, not harder, check out AtlasNova at https://www.atlasnova.ai/rockstars and Get 20% off using the code Rockstars20

• Smithfield Culinary serves up perfect proteins for every dish, every daypart like Smithfield’s new ready to eat select bacon, new ground chorizo or the broadest portfolio of pork. When you partner with Smithfield, you serve what you love and your guests will love what you serve. To order or more information go to: https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

If I owned your restaurant in 2026, here’s exactly what I’d fix first—and why it matters now more than ever. In this episode, I break down the Restaurant Operator Playbook for the year ahead, focusing on the systems, leadership, and profit drivers that separate struggling restaurants from those that thrive.

We cover how to stand out in a crowded market, build true leaders instead of babysitting managers, hire and retain A-players, tighten labor and prime costs, and stop the silent profit leaks hiding in your menu, portions, and daily operations. I also share proven strategies for increasing check averages, creating raving fans, and adding new cashflow streams without adding more stress or labor.

This isn’t theory. These are the exact systems I used to build profitable restaurants—and what I’d put in place immediately if I were running yours today.

If you want clarity, control, and stronger margins in 2026, this episode is your starting point.

Run a Smarter, More Profitable Restaurant. Discover the proven systems & solutions that drive sales, train staff, and maximize your margins.

Join The Restaurant Academy now: https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

Thank you to our sponsors:

• The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits, maximize sales and train your team in restaurant fundamentals! https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

• Smithfield Culinary serves up perfect proteins for every dish, every daypart like Smithfield’s new ready to eat select bacon, new ground chorizo or the broadest portfolio of pork. When you partner with Smithfield, you serve what you love and your guests will love what you serve. To order or more information go to: https://smithfieldculinary.com/smithfield

• AtlasNova: AtlasNova is like having an AI CMO and COO built into one platform. It connects your POS and marketing data, tells you exactly what matters, and then actually helps execute: campaigns, insights, next best actions, all without adding headcount. Less guessing. Less busywork. Better results. If you want your business to run smarter, not harder, check out AtlasNova at https://www.atlasnova.ai/rockstars and Get 20% off using the code Rockstars20

What separates unforgettable restaurants from forgettable ones?

In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger talks with Bob Campana, a serial entrepreneur and restaurateur who shares what real hospitality actually looks like in practice.

Bob breaks down how intentional design, human connection, and team culture create guest experiences that keep people coming back. From building dining rooms designed for conversation to leading teams with respect and purpose, this conversation challenges conventional thinking about hospitality.

Perfect for restaurant owners, operators, and hospitality leaders who want to elevate their guest experience and build a restaurant their community loves.

Restaurant Rockstars Podcast

Actionable insights on leadership, culture, and profitability for restaurant owners and hospitality professionals.

🎧 Available wherever you listen to podcasts

The Top 3 Restaurant Profit Killers & How To Fix Them Fast (Free Video Training): https://restaurantrockstars.com/profits

An Important Message for Restaurant Owners: www.restaurantacademy.online/get-free-training-owners

Thank you to our sponsors:

The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits, maximize sales and train your team in restaurant fundamentals! https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

Menufy: uplevels your SEO, takes direct online orders, markets to your guests & manages your online reputation. You get a custom branded SEO optimized website, data you control without losing 30% to 3rd parties, automated customer feedback, loyalty programs, built in chargeback protection and 24/7 support. https://restaurant.menufy.com/

The hospitality industry is burning out its best leaders…but it doesn’t have to. In this eye-opening conversation, Roger and coach Mike Messerof dig into the hidden pressures behind burnout, the mental health struggles no one talks about, and the simple practices that help restaurant owners lead without losing themselves. A raw, powerful, honest look at what it really takes to thrive in this business.

🔥 An Important Message for Restaurant Owners: www.restaurantacademy.online/get-free-training-owners

Restaurant Profit Maximizer Mini-Masterclass: Learn how just a few tweaks in the way you run your restaurant can hugely impact your profits.

https://restaurantrockstars.com/sp/restaurant-profits

Run a Smarter, More Profitable Restaurant. Discover the proven systems & solutions that drive sales, train staff, and maximize your margins.

Join The Restaurant Academy now: https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy

Connect with Restaurant Rockstars on Social Media:

LinkedIn Roger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-beaudoin-21590016

LinkedIn Restaurant Rockstars: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restaurant-rockstars

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantrockstars/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restaurantrockstars

X: https://x.com/RestaurantRock1

Connect with our guest:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemesseroff/

https://www.mikemesseroff.com/

https://www.thecircleoffreethinkers.com/

Thank you to our sponsors:

🔥 The Restaurant Academy: Everything you need to know to optimize profits, maximize sales and train your team in restaurant fundamentals! https://restaurantrockstars.com/joinacademy/

🔥 Menufy: uplevels your SEO, takes direct online orders, markets to your guests & manages your online reputation. You get a custom branded SEO optimized website, data you control without losing 30% to 3rd parties, automated customer feedback, loyalty programs, built in chargeback protection and 24/7 support. https://restaurant.menufy.com/