It wasn’t that long ago when restaurant tech providers bragged about system-wide integration capabilities. A big deal. It’s still a big deal. But now, they are talking up something else: AI capabilities. In the past couple months, several big providers in restaurant tech, including Square and Toast, have announced such new tools.
Willem Ave of Square: “Operators can ask questions in natural language.”
“Rather than spending valuable time analyzing spreadsheets or configuring complex reports, business owners can simply ask questions in natural language about their operations,” said Willem Ave, head of product for Square, in an interview about Square AI, which is now being offered in open beta and is available to current Square customers through its dashboard. “Whether it’s understanding sales trends during specific hours, identifying top-selling menu items, or analyzing staff performance, Square AI provides actionable insights.”
Ave suggests that Square AI can function as an experienced business analyst with comprehensive knowledge about operations, there to explain data to operators, being available for follow-up questions, and eliminating the need for an operator to repeat a question.
The delivery system of insights is also important, said Ave, who notes Square can export data into visual charts and spreadsheets.
Toast is boasting some snazzy capabilities of its own with ToastIQ.
Jess Sargent of Toast: “We synthesize info from millions of transactions.”
“Our service features deliver prompts and information in real time so everyone knows what was eighty-sixed, that the guest at table one is celebrating a birthday and can automatically populate recommendations for menu pairings, modifier suggestions, and upgrades,” said Jess Sargent, vice president of product marketing, in an interview. “We built ToastIQ to synthesize info from millions of transactions, guest profile, and daily sales data.”
ToastIQ has been constructed to be a native part of the existing Toast ecosystem, flowing directly into the hardware and software that restaurants already use. New features include Menu Upsells, Digital Chits, and Shift at a Glance. ToastIQ will pull in guest information from Toast Tables and Guestbook, including visit history and special occasions.
Toast also likes to think of the new product as a consultant.
“Imagine having a partner that knows exactly how to help motivate staff to consistently upsell, or one who communicates changes to a menu or someone’s shift?,” Sargent said. “That’s what ToastIQ can enable.”
And it can help not just with customer retention but acquisition.
“Not every operator can afford to hire a marketer or take a class to learn about how to appeal to their customers,” she said. “With our Advertising tool, owners can easily create and manage digital ads on Google channels such as Search and Maps, and Meta channels such as Facebook and Instagram, all with easy performance tracking.”
Toast launched its new suite of AI-enables tools on May 1 and is reporting promising early results.
“We have seen early users around $8 back for every $1 they spend with Advertising,” she said.
SpotOn and Hang have also recently unveiled AI capabilities. Don’t be surprised to see more AI announcements from restaurant-tech providers.
