In this episode of the Restaurant AI Podcast, Matt Wampler, Co-Founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, welcomes Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America and Pepper Lunch. With a career spanning three decades across kitchens, consulting, and global brand leadership, Troy offers a masterclass in how to scale an international concept without losing its soul.

He shares the lessons learned from guiding Pepper Lunch’s North American expansion, where authenticity is the North Star, franchisees are true partners in innovation, and technology is leveraged to strengthen—not replace—the human connection. From rethinking loyalty beyond points, to using data-driven engagement that still “acts like a human,” Troy reveals how Pepper Lunch is combining modern tools with timeless hospitality values.

Pepper Lunch’s story illustrates a broader blueprint for the industry: scale rooted in cultural integrity, collaboration as a growth engine, and guest experiences designed to surprise and endure.

Episode Links:

00:00 Intro

01:26 Welcome Troy Hooper

04:09 Troy's background and pivoting to the restaurant industry

13:33 The purpose of restaurant turnarounds

14:40 Restaurants struggling to stay current

15:40 Hunger for development

17:04 The franchise system

19:10 What makes a good consultant

25:35 The value of social media to the consulting world

30:17 Restaurants are. a family

32:37 Signing the right operator

35:33 Pepper Lunch

44:27 People crave authenticity

46:45 Restaurant kiosks and technology

53:05 The truth about loyalty programs

57:52 Every stakeholder has a voice

1:03:16 Innovative restaurant technology

1:05:48 First thing we bring you is a smile

1:08:15 The role of AI in restaurant hospitality

1:23:10 Outro