Stop Wasting Hours on Manual Kitchen and Front-of-House Tasks Reclaim Your Time with Custom AI Automation
Imagine saving 20+ hours per week on repetitive tasks like inventory checks and order processing, so you can focus on what matters: delighting customers and boosting your bottom line.
Join 250+ food service businesses streamlining operations with AIQ Labs
The "Back-of-House Bottleneck" Problem
Endless Manual Inventory Counts Eating Into Prep Time, Like Counting Lettuce Heads and Protein Packs Mid-Morning Rush
Chaotic Order Processing During Peak Rush Hours, With Waitstaff Jotting Tickets and Kitchen Slips Piling Up
Inaccurate Staff Scheduling Leading to Overstaffing Costs, Especially for Line Cooks and Servers During Variable Shifts
Wasted Effort on Repetitive Supplier Order Tracking for Staples Like Flour, Oils, and Fresh Produce Deliveries
Customer Wait Times Dragging Down Table Turnover, From Seating to Appetizer Delivery in a Packed Dining Room
Error-Prone Manual Recipe Scaling for Special Orders, Like Adjusting Portion Sizes for Dietary Requests or Large Parties
Our Custom AI Builds Tailored to Your Restaurant's Rhythm
With years of experience integrating AI into high-pressure food service environments, we've helped spots like bustling diners and family-owned bistros turn chaos into smooth operations.
Why Choose Us
Let's be honest, running a restaurant means juggling a million little fires every day. You're probably thinking, 'Another tool? I can barely keep up with my POS system.' Here's the thing: we don't slap together off-the-shelf apps. At AIQ Labs, we dive deep into your exact workflow—from the morning prep rush to closing-time tallies—and build a unified AI system that's yours to own. No more subscription traps or glitchy integrations. Think of it like crafting the perfect sauce: we start with your ingredients (your current tools and data), add smart AI layers for automation, and simmer it into a custom solution that saves you time and cuts costs right away. Short shifts in the kitchen become efficient. Long lines at the counter? Streamlined. We handle the tech so you can get back to plating up smiles.
What Makes Us Different:
Unlock Real ROI Through Time and Cost Savings
Slash Weekly Admin Hours by 20+
Slash Weekly Admin Hours by 20+: Picture this: instead of your manager spending two hours every shift manually logging inventory—like scanning barcode-tagged produce crates or weighing meat portions—our AI handles it in seconds, pulling data from suppliers and your fridge sensors. That's 20 hours saved per week across a small team—time you redirect to training staff or tweaking that signature dish. The ROI? Payback in under three months, with efficiency gains that keep paying off as your restaurant grows, especially during seasonal menu changes.
Boost Productivity and Cut Labor Costs by 15%
Boost Productivity and Cut Labor Costs by 15%: During dinner rush, manual order routing can bottleneck your kitchen like a clogged drain, with servers relaying handwritten chits for grill times on burgers or pasta boils. Our custom AI automates it, predicting prep needs—like firing apps 10 minutes ahead—and alerting cooks instantly via kitchen displays. Teams move faster, tables turn quicker, and you trim overtime without skimping on service. Owners see a 15% drop in labor expenses while customer satisfaction scores climb—real efficiency that feels like adding an extra hand without the payroll hit, proven in six months of peak operations.
Optimize Inventory to Reduce Waste by 25%
Optimize Inventory to Reduce Waste by 25%: Overstocked produce rotting in the back, like excess tomatoes for your salsa bar? Understocked staples causing scrambles, such as running out of rice mid-dinner service? We build AI forecasting tuned to your menu's seasonality and sales patterns, like predicting avocado demand for your guac special based on historical happy hour data. This isn't guesswork; it's data-driven precision that trims waste, stabilizes costs, and frees up cash for menu innovations. Restaurants using our systems report 25% less spoilage within the first quarter, turning a common pain into a profit center amid fluctuating supplier prices.
What Clients Say
""Before AIQ Labs, our inventory checks were a nightmare—wasting three hours daily just counting stock like fresh herbs and dairy during morning prep. Now, the AI flags low items automatically via our walk-in cooler sensors, and we've cut food waste by 20% in two months, saving $1,200 on monthly produce alone. It's like having an extra line cook who never calls in sick.""
Maria Gonzalez
General Manager at El Toro Taqueria, a 50-seat Mexican spot in downtown Austin
""Scheduling shifts was always a headache with last-minute call-outs during busy weekends, especially for our sous chefs and bussers. Their custom AI predicts our needs based on reservations, weather, and even local events like game nights, saving us about 10 hours a week on adjustments. Labor costs are down 12%, and the team's happier—no more overworking the same folks during Friday rushes.""
David Chen
Owner of Lotus Bistro, an Asian fusion eatery with 30 tables in Seattle's Belltown
""We were drowning in manual order processing at peak lunch—lines out the door with to-go salads and panini orders. AIQ built us an automation that routes tickets straight to the kitchen with prep alerts for things like toasting bread or portioning dressings. Service time dropped from 15 to 8 minutes per table, and our Yelp ratings jumped from 4.2 to 4.7 in three months. Total game-changer for a spot our size.""
Sarah Patel
Operations Director at Fresh Bites Cafe, a quick-service cafe chain with three urban locations
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Workflow Audit
We start by chatting with you—over coffee if possible—to map your restaurant's daily grind, from opening checklists to close-out reports. No cookie-cutter audits; this is all about your unique flow, identifying quick wins like automating supplier pings.
Custom Design and Build
Using your input, we engineer the AI from the ground up, integrating with your POS and apps. It's like building a custom kitchen layout—efficient, scalable, and owned by you. We test rigorously to ensure it handles rush-hour chaos without a hitch.
Deployment and Training
We roll it out seamlessly, training your team with hands-on sessions tailored to front- and back-of-house roles. Ongoing support keeps things humming, with tweaks as your menu or seasons change—ensuring long-term ROI without the usual tech headaches.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does your AI handle the unpredictable nature of restaurant rushes?
Restaurants live and breathe variability—sudden crowds, no-shows, you name it. Our custom AI is built to adapt, using real-time data from your POS and reservations to forecast demand and adjust automations on the fly. For instance, during a unexpected lunch surge, it can reroute staff or prioritize orders without you lifting a finger. We've tuned these systems for food service chaos, drawing from scenarios like weather-driven walk-ins. Setup takes just a few weeks, and the result? Smoother operations that save you 15-20 hours weekly on manual tweaks. No more reactive firefighting; it's proactive efficiency tailored to your flow.
Will this work with my existing POS and inventory software?
Absolutely, and that's where we shine. We don't force you into new tools—instead, we create deep, secure integrations with popular systems like Toast, Square, or Lightspeed. Think of it as weaving AI threads into your current fabric without unraveling it. For a client with an older inventory app, we built a bridge that pulls data every 15 minutes, automating stock checks and alerts. This eliminates double-entry errors common in food service, where mismatched counts lead to overordering. Your data stays yours, and we ensure compliance with any industry regs. The payoff: faster insights and cost savings without ripping out what works.
What's the ROI timeline for implementing AI automation in my restaurant?
You're probably thinking ROI sounds great, but when does it hit? For most restaurants, we see payback in 2-4 months through direct savings—like 25% less food waste or 15% lower labor costs from optimized scheduling. Take a mid-sized diner we worked with: they saved 18 hours weekly on admin, equating to $1,200 monthly in efficiency gains. We calculate your specific ROI during the free consult, factoring in your size, menu, and pain points. Long-term, it's exponential—better customer experiences lead to higher tips and repeats. No vague promises; we track metrics from day one to prove the value.
Do I need a tech-savvy team to use your AI system?
Not at all—food service teams are busy enough without tech bootcamps. We design interfaces as simple as your order pad: voice commands for kitchen updates, one-tap dashboards for managers. In one deployment for a family Italian spot, even the veteran cooks adopted it in a day, using it to scale pasta recipes without math headaches. Training is hands-on, just 2-3 sessions, and we include cheat sheets for quick reference. The goal? Boost productivity without adding stress. If issues pop up, our support is like a reliable sous chef—always there, quick and effective.
How customizable is the AI to my specific menu and operations?
Fully custom, because no two restaurants are alike—your farm-to-table focus differs from a quick-service joint. We audit your workflows to build AI that mirrors them, like auto-adjusting for seasonal specials or allergy protocols. For a seafood place, we created forecasting that factors in fresh catch variability, preventing stockouts. It's not a template; we code it to your exact needs, ensuring scalability as you add locations or revamp the menu. This tailored approach means real time savings, like cutting prep errors by 30%, and it's all owned by you—no black-box mysteries.
What if my restaurant is small—does AI automation scale down?
Small spots get the biggest bang from automation, and yes, we scale it perfectly. For a 20-seat cafe, we might focus on simple wins like auto-ordering coffee beans based on sales trends, saving the owner 10 hours weekly without overwhelming the team. No minimum size; we adapt to your revenue and staff count. A client with $2M annual sales saw 18% cost reductions in six months. It's about solving your bottlenecks, whether it's solo management or a tight crew. We start lean, prove value, then expand—efficient for bootstrapped operations like yours.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.