How Houston restaurants are using AI to save time and money

Several Houston restaurants have cracked the code on efficiency, using artificial intelligence to streamline small tasks and free up staff to focus on hospitality.

ChatGPT and other AI tools have surged in popularity across industries, and the restaurant world is no exception. From fast-casual spots to fine dining, local operators are finding ways to integrate the technology. Much of it happens behind the scenes, invisible to customers, though some restaurants are beginning to explore guest-facing uses, as well.

"There is constant stress on the restaurant operation business model. So if you're able to implement the right artificial intelligence, either to enhance your guest experience or to help automate some of those roles that are not hospitality-based, then for the future of the industry, that is something that you have to embrace," said Emily Knight, president of the Texas Restaurant Association.

ChatGPT and bookkeeping

Tony Mistry, who previously ran Burger Nation and now owns BnX Burgers, says he and his brother were early adopters of ChatGPT. He quickly saw its potential to streamline the tedious tasks they had been handling themselves or outsourcing, from scheduling shifts to bookkeeping.

Mistry once built schedules manually in spreadsheets before moving to scheduling software that cost $68 a month. Now, for $30 a month, he uses the paid version of ChatGPT. By uploading past schedules and inputting changes in employee availability, he can generate updated shifts in minutes.

He’s also training ChatGPT to manage bookkeeping. By supplying bank statements, the tool produces profit-and-loss reports, balance sheets and cash flow statements. While he still corrects errors, Mistry says the process is faster and more cost-effective than relying solely on accountants. Reports that once took at least 15 days now arrive in minutes. And at a fraction of the expense of a bookkeeper.

Mistry has even used ChatGPT to create the look of the menu at BnX Burgers, which opened in Webster in July. 

"We've always been a technology forward company. Anything that helps us do things more efficiently, we've tried," Mistry said. "AI can handle so many aspects of the business. It's worth the investment, at least right now."

Others are experimenting as well. Christie's, Houston's oldest restaurant, now uses ChatGPT to calculate food quantities and costs for events, a shift that general manager Maria Christie says helps reduce overproduction and food waste.

Sales forecasting

Other AI companies are rolling out tech specifically to help restaurants forecast their prep portions and costs. Mac Haik Restaurant Group — franchisee of First Watch and an investor in the Original Chopshop and Due' Cucina — is using Prep Assistant from Precitaste, which predicts how much food a restaurant will need each day and creates a prep list that reduces waste. It even factors in weather and other events that might affect customer traffic.

Training that once took managers six months on the old inventory system now takes about a week with Prep Assistant. Prep work is finished faster, allowing staff to spend more time on hospitality. The shift has boosted sales and, in turn, increased employee earnings through tips, said Chief Operating Officer Dan Anfinson.

The company has seen at least a 50% reduction in food waste for two consecutive fiscal periods. “The system has been more accurate for what I need, what we need to prep, and the shelf life of food,” said First Watch manager Araceli Salgado. “We don’t have to throw out batches of items because we over-prepped. It’s helping with training, knowledge, and the quality of both the food and production.”

Prep Assistant runs on a subscription model, but Anfinson said it has already paid for itself in the month since its roll-out across the group. He added that the company worked with PreciTaste for more than a year to tailor the system to their needs.

AI voice

Pincho began using AI in its Houston location last year to handle phone calls, freeing front-of-house staff during busy shifts. The system can answer an unlimited number of calls, leading to a 10-11% increase in phone sales. Customers are even leaving tips on these orders, boosting staff earnings.

"The team thinks it's incredible because the phone doesn't ring as often, and they can really focus on the guest that's standing in front of them," founder and CEO Otto Othman said. "I think the key with AI for any hospitality brand is you always have to ask, 'Is this going to extend hospitality to our guests?'"

Restaurants miss 34% of their calls, according to a study by Slang AI. And 71% of calls are revenue related. 

While quick-service restaurants have been the earliest adopters, full-service restaurants are catching up. Brazilian steakhouse Texas de Brazil and Sixty Vines now use Slang AI to answer phones and book reservations.

That capability matters: Slang AI data shows 20% of reservations are made outside normal business hours. With AI, those reservations are no longer missed.

"It's not about implementing AI in every critical function of the restaurant," Knight said. "It's picking those functions that you need automated support in and testing it and starting small."