1

Improve Communication

Use AI to write and improve your daily communications

Overview

Use AI to write and improve your daily communications.

  • Respond to customer reviews professionally
  • Write emails to staff, suppliers, and vendors
  • Create social media posts and promotions
  • Draft job postings and interview questions

Demo 1.1: Use AI to Write Emails

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In this demonstration, I use AI to help write a professional outreach email to Restaurants Canada. Starting with a simple idea, AI helps me create a clear email, shorten it based on feedback, and find the most relevant person to contact. This shows how restaurant owners can use AI to save time and improve everyday business communication—whether they are writing to industry organizations, suppliers, employees, or potential partners.

💡 Click the fullscreen button in the video player for a larger view

Demo 1.2: Use AI for Better Communication

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In this AI for Restaurants demo, I use ChatGPT to create a job posting for a new Guest Experience Host position. I explain the restaurant concept, describe the responsibilities of the new role, and ask AI to turn those ideas into a clear, professional job posting. I then refine the wording so it accurately reflects my restaurant as a fast-casual Italian restaurant rather than focusing on its previous service model. This session demonstrates how restaurant owners and managers can use AI to communicate more clearly, develop job descriptions and quickly improve business writing through simple follow-up instructions.

💡 Click the fullscreen button in the video player for a larger view

2

Brainstorming

Use AI as a thinking partner to generate ideas and solve problems

Overview

Use AI as a thinking partner to generate ideas and solve problems.

  • Generate menu ideas and seasonal specials
  • Brainstorm marketing campaigns and promotions
  • Find solutions to operational challenges
  • Create SOPs, checklists, and training materials

Demo 2.1: Use AI to Brainstorm Ideas

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In this demo, I use ChatGPT as a brainstorming partner to rethink a real restaurant concept. I explain the challenge: converting a traditional sit-down Italian restaurant into a more labor-efficient fast-dining model—without making it feel like a cheap pizza shop. ChatGPT helps develop the positioning, guest experience, menu structure, staffing model and seasonal operating strategy.

The demo also shows that you do not need to accept the AI's first answer. When ChatGPT described the concept as "premium," I clarified that I wanted it to feel high-quality and approachable instead. ChatGPT then revised the concept and turned the final ideas into a one-page business plan.

This is an example of how restaurant owners can use AI to develop and refine a business concept, explore different operating models, organize ideas into a practical plan, challenge wording that does not fit their vision, and turn a conversation into a shareable document. The key is to treat AI as a thinking partner: provide context, react to its suggestions, and keep refining the answer until it reflects your business.

💡 Click the fullscreen button in the video player for a larger view

3

Analyze & Gain Insights

Use AI to analyze data and make better-informed decisions

Overview

Use AI to analyze data and make better-informed decisions.

  • Calculate ingredient costs and menu pricing
  • Model the impact of price increases on profitability
  • Compare quotes and analyze supplier pricing
  • Make data-driven decisions for your restaurant

📹 Demo videos for this chapter are coming soon.

Demo 3.1: Menu Costing

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Calculate ingredient costs, determine menu pricing, and identify profit margins for each dish. Learn how to use AI to analyze recipes and optimize your menu for profitability.

Demo 3.2: Supplier Price Analysis

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Model price increases from suppliers and see how they impact your overall profitability. Use AI to analyze pricing trends and plan for cost changes.

Demo 3.3: Compare Supplier Quotes

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Analyze and compare quotes across multiple vendors. Use AI to evaluate pricing, terms, and total cost to make informed supplier decisions.

4

Build AI Workflows & Save Time

Automate recurring tasks with AI workflows

Overview

Automate recurring tasks with AI workflows.

  • Monitor and respond to online reviews automatically
  • Generate content calendars and marketing campaigns
  • Build repeatable AI workflows for daily operations
  • Save time on repetitive tasks

📹 Demo videos for this chapter are coming soon.

Demo 4.1: Online Reviews

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Monitor, analyze, and respond to reviews automatically. Learn how to use AI to maintain your online reputation and engage with customers efficiently.

Demo 4.2: Social Media & Marketing

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Generate content calendars and promotional campaigns with AI. Create engaging social media posts, plan marketing initiatives, and maintain a consistent brand presence.

5

Automate Bookkeeping & Know Your Numbers

Connect your systems and reduce manual work

Overview

Connect your systems and reduce manual work.

  • Automate bill processing and vendor payments
  • Categorize bank transactions automatically
  • Reconcile POS sales to bank deposits
  • Track delivery app payouts and profitability

📹 Demo videos for this chapter are coming soon.

Demo 5.1: Accounts Payable

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Automate bill processing and vendor payments. Process bills and invoices automatically with AI, extract vendor, amount, and due date from documents, match bills to purchase orders, and schedule vendor payments.

Demo 5.2: Bank Transaction Sorting

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Automatically categorize and organize bank transactions. Connect your bank accounts securely, let AI categorize transactions, learn patterns over time, and flag unusual transactions for review.

Demo 5.3: Reconcile POS Sales Deposits

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Match your POS sales to bank deposits automatically. Connect to Square, Toast, Clover, and more. Match daily sales to bank deposits, account for credit card fees and timing, and identify discrepancies instantly.

Demo 5.4: Reconcile Delivery App Payouts

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Track and reconcile payouts from delivery platforms. Connect DoorDash, Uber Eats, Skip, and more. Match payouts to orders automatically, track fees, refunds, and adjustments, and see true profitability per platform.

Note: This workshop uses Instant Books AI as an example for bookkeeping automation. Start your free trial.

6

Principles of Using AI

Best practices for getting the most out of AI tools

1

Customize — Bring Your Own Info

AI works best when you provide context about your business. Share your menu, pricing, processes, and goals to get relevant, tailored responses.

2

Do Not Share Sensitive Information

Never share passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, or confidential employee/customer data with AI tools.

3

Follow Up with Questions & Feedback

AI conversations are iterative. Ask follow-up questions, request changes, and refine the output until it matches what you need.

4

Experiment

Try different approaches and phrasings. There's no single "right" way to use AI. The more you experiment, the better you'll understand what works for your needs.

5

Decisions Are Yours

AI provides suggestions and information, but you make the final call. Always review AI outputs and use your judgment before taking action.

7

Other Tools

Explore additional AI tools for daily use

Overview

Explore additional AI tools for daily use.

  • Use AI features built into Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Gmail)

📹 Demo videos for this chapter are coming soon.

Demo 7.1: Ask Gemini in Google Workspace

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Use AI features built into Google Workspace: Help me write in Google Docs, smart compose in Gmail, AI-powered formulas in Sheets, and summarize documents. Ask Gemini questions directly for research, content generation, and more.

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