By Billy Marino
The use of AI in the restaurant industry has grown exponentially over the last two years. Initially, AI was limited to simple applications, like auto-correct, auto-fill and GPS software. However, recent advancements, particularly over the past year and a half, have led to a significant increase in the availability and use of AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Grok. AI has now integrated itself into various disciplines, including graphics, marketing, writing, editing and analytics, drastically reducing the time and effort required for tasks that once consumed many hours of human labor.
But how can it help us in the restaurant industry?
The Basics: How AI Can Help You
Drafting emails or budget documents can now be accomplished in a fraction of the time. By simply inputting necessary information into AI systems like ChatGPT, users can generate comprehensive documents in minutes. While the technology still has its imperfections, the time savings associated with allowing AI to produce preliminary drafts or even complete work is substantial.
In the last year or so, I have seen AI assistants rolled out into most of the software we use every day, from Microsoft Word to Excel, plus others. Voice dictation is integrated into almost all applications now. Have you ever received a wordy text from a friend and wonder why they created such a long response? Most likely, it’s because they are using talk-to-text features powered by AI.
In the last six months, AI has advanced so much that certain software and marketing apps will draft an entire memo or email or series of emails when you simply give them a prompt. My niece just graduated high school, and she says the teachers are on the lookout for AI-written essays and assignments. However, she also laughed and said they caught the teacher using ChatGPT as well. Safe to say, it’s here to stay—and it’s only going to get bigger.
Using AI for Graphics and Marketing
Thirty years ago, when I joined the Army, there was a job called “multimedia illustrator.” My brother joined as one—this was a trained technician/soldier that used graphic arts to make maps, posters and other required documents. It was such a specialized field that this was a trained MOS (Military Occupational Specialty).
Fast forward to 2026, and I would argue that the skills taught to a graphic artist back then can be done in seconds on a series of apps, freeware, and integrations into common software today. Graphic design software, such as Adobe Illustrator and Canva, have incorporated AI functionalities, enabling users to effortlessly upload ideas, receive edits and generate new concepts.
In recent months, AI has even advanced to the point where it can create images and videos based on user descriptions, further enhancing productivity in creative tasks. Adobe Photoshop, Canva and Picsart are just a few examples of software that can now create images and videos, along with a laundry list of editing tools. You can see these features popping up all over the place in free apps, add-ons to existing software, and free tools included on smartphones. In fact, it is overwhelming to choose which ones to download or use.
At Leona’s Pizzeria, we use a combination of apps, like Canva, Capcut, Picsart and Adobe, to create our content. The apps have gotten so smart, they can edit or convert content in seconds based on simple prompts. Most require some human editing, as mistakes can happen (AI is still evolving), but we have seen a marked improvement from just a year ago. I can only imagine how good these tools will be in the next year.
Using AI for Business Analytics
AI’s capabilities extend beyond creative applications; they also encompass labor-intensive data analysis. Marketing programs, such as Constant Contact and HubSpot, utilize AI to automate comprehensive email campaigns for restaurants, effectively creating road maps for marketing strategies. This allows restaurant owners to simply review and make minor adjustments, streamlining the process and further saving time. AI is also integrated into point-of-sale (POS) systems, which can analyze extensive data from multiple years, identifying sales trends and customer behavior to help optimize operations.
At Leona’s, our POS provider has recently launched an AI-based data analysis tool that helps restaurants quickly find trends and efficiencies in their menu, sales data and customer data. Just this week, the new tool gave me year-end analysis of all our locations. It was very helpful—and very interesting. For those who don’t have access to tools like that, you can get the same analysis by simply uploading your sales data as a spreadsheet into ChatGPT. Then use some prompts to let the AI tell you important info about your sales, such as top-selling items and other metrics.
Recently, we have also started leveraging AI in our online ordering system. After using three different online ordering platforms over the last five years, we just kept falling short on the most important metrics: ease of ordering, speed of checkout and customer retention. Third-party apps are the 800-pound gorillas in the online ordering world. You simply must be on top of your game to try and compete with them and retain organic traffic.
In my pizzerias, we have embraced these AI technologies in various aspects of our business. We leverage AI for marketing, graphic design, email communication and sales data analysis. By incorporating insights from customer data and sales patterns, we can plan more effectively for the future. Looking ahead, it seems likely that AI will continue to advance, potentially leading to entire sections of restaurant operations becoming AI-driven. Failing to embrace this technological shift could leave businesses behind in a competitive environment.
AI Automation
Another area where AI is making an impact is in order taking. AI technology is increasingly being implemented in drive-thru menus and ordering screens, assisting customers with upselling and decision making. Additionally, AI agents can take orders and book reservations without human involvement. There are several companies offering this, using AI technology. Some are just reservation booking systems, while others boast the capability of taking phone orders with AI agents (basically, bots).
People are getting wise to the AI-driven phone trend. Leona’s tested an AI phone order system recently, and what we found was people who order on the phone want to speak to a human. There’s a reluctance among consumers to engage fully with AI systems for order placement, resulting in most customers attempting to bypass AI interfaces to reach a human operator. The AI was useful for simple question answering and lead gathering. However, when it came to order conversions, they immediately attempted to get to a human or live person.
While many people now prefer ordering through online or mobile platforms, those who still call in typically expect to speak with a human. This traditional preference remains strong, and we risk losing sales if customers become frustrated with AI interactions. The AI systems might work with utility or financial companies, where the customers have no choice, but it could result in sales loss in the pizza world, where the choices are many. Customers have a short attention span—they won’t always fiddle around with a bot to order that special pizza; they may call your competition.
Don’t get left behind. Start learning to use AI for your marketing, content creation, analytics and order taking. However, it remains clear that even as technology evolves, the human touch continues to hold significant value.
Until next time, stay classy, my fellow pizza slingers!
A U.S. Army veteran with a business degree from DePaul University, Billy Marino is an entrepreneur with more than 30 years of operational and executive experience. He uses his diverse background in construction, real estate, logistics and international trade to drive innovation in the pizza industry. He has collaborated with major foodservice brands—including Hormel, Rich Foods, Walmart and Fontanini Italian Meats—to support product development and international pizza initiatives. A regular competitor at the International Pizza Expo, he has also contributed to the creation of frozen pizza concepts for emerging global markets.
Billy was mentored by the late industry icon Eugene Fontanini and continues to be guided by Fontanini Italian Meats co-founder Joanne Fontanini, gaining valuable insight into branding, sales, supply chain strategy and evolving market trends. In 2022, he acquired the legacy assets of Chicago’s historic Leona’s Pizzeria and has since focused on revitalizing the brand and expanding its product offerings.
