“AI isn’t just for tech bros and sci-fi movies anymore. It’s here. It’s smart. And Marqii is putting it to work for restaurants like ours.” -Shawn AI (619-337-0670)
If you’re a restaurant operator, AI might feel like a buzzword — something for Silicon Valley, not your kitchen line.
But the truth is, it’s already affecting your business, whether you’re using it or not.
This isn’t a prediction. It’s what’s happening right now.
And restaurant leaders embracing AI in simple, strategic ways are getting back something precious: time.
At the 2025 Food on Demand Conference in Las Vegas, I sat down with Bryan Rutcofsky, co-founder of Marqii, to talk about one of the hottest and most misunderstood tools in the restaurant business right now: Artificial Intelligence.
Here’s what we talked about:
1. AI + Human Intelligence = Faster, Smarter Hospitality
Bryan made one thing clear: the goal of AI in restaurants isn’t to replace people — it’s to support them. At Marqii, they use AI to help restaurant teams do what they already want to do, but faster and better.
Like online reviews.
Marqii’s AI-powered review tool reads what guests are saying, interprets the sentiment, and writes replies in your brand voice. Whether you want to sound buttoned-up, funny, edgy, or just warm and welcoming, the AI adapts. You can review and edit the responses or let the system reply automatically.
“It's the click of a button and all of a sudden you see the review that was posted.”
2. The “We’re Fixing Parking in NYC” Problem (AKA: Why You Still Matter)
Bryan told a story that perfectly sums up where AI is powerful — and where it still needs human backup.
A customer left a review for a New York City restaurant. They loved the food, loved the vibe — but complained that parking was a nightmare.
The AI-generated reply?
“We’re so glad you had a great time! Don’t worry — we’re working on fixing the parking situation.”
Here’s the joke: nobody is fixing the parking situation in New York City.
Not the mayor. Not your GM. Definitely not your AI chatbot.
The AI didn’t understand that parking in Manhattan isn’t something a restaurant can fix. It took the feedback literally and tried to solve the problem.
That’s why human oversight still matters. AI can be your sous chef, your assistant GM, but you’re still the executive chef of your brand.
3. How to Start Using AI Without Overthinking It
One of the best parts of this conversation with Bryan was how practical he kept things.
You don’t need to overhaul your business. You don’t need a data science degree.
You can start using AI for:
✏️ Writing social captions or emails
🧠 Brainstorming new promotions or events
🗣️ Responding to reviews (manually or using tools like Marqii)
📣 Updating online business listings across platforms faster
You can use AI to help figure out how you want people to hear about your brand, Bryan added.
“It makes you faster, not faker.”
4. The Real Flex? Showing Up Where It Counts
Let’s be real: restaurant owners are slammed. You're juggling staff schedules, vendor orders, TikTok trends, and now… AI?
But here’s the opportunity: if you can use tools like Marqii to handle the repetitive stuff — like replying to Google reviews or updating your hours on 25 websites — you free yourself up to do what only you can do.
Surprise a regular with a free dessert.
Coach a new server into your next star employee.
Post a behind-the-scenes video that gets 10,000 views.
That’s the work no AI can replicate.
Final Thought: Don’t Fear AI — Train It
Like a new hire, AI only works if you show it how your business thinks, talks, and serves.
With tools like Marqii, you can feed it your tone and style and let it scale the parts of your hospitality that matter online.
You’re still the soul of your restaurant.
AI just helps you multiply that soul across screens, search results, and guest interactions. All without losing your voice.
Want to see what technology can actually do for a restaurant?
We use Marqii at Cali BBQ — and it’s been a game changer for saving time and responding better.
Message me (@shawnpwalchef) and I’ll let you know why you should sign up, too.
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