In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Matt Wampler, CEO & Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, filling in for Shawn Walchef, the conversation centered on how restaurants can harness AI as a form of “learned intelligence.” Matt opened with his own story of struggling through the early days of restaurant ownership, sleeping in the back of his Jimmy John’s, and realizing the value of having a true “finger on the pulse” of operations. That experience led to ClearCOGS, built to help operators forecast and act proactively instead of constantly reacting. Joined by leaders across training, finance, and operations, the discussion explored how AI can take the overwhelming breadth of restaurant knowledge—compliance, scheduling, prep, service—and turn it into actionable, time-saving support. The key takeaway was clear: AI isn’t about replacing people, it’s about freeing them to focus on hospitality, culture, and growth.

• AI Turns Learned Intelligence into Action: Matt Wampler shared how ClearCOGS was built from his own sleepless nights running a failing Jimmy John’s, proving that restaurant “know-how” can be digitized into systems that predict needs before problems arise.
• Time Is the Most Valuable Currency: Guests emphasized that AI’s real promise isn’t fancy tech—it’s giving managers, chefs, and servers back the hours they usually lose to scheduling, compliance, or endless reports so they can spend more time with guests and teams.
• Hospitality Still Comes First: From training to marketing to finance, AI can streamline the noise, but it can’t replace human connection. Used wisely, it becomes a co-pilot that strengthens culture, service, and the guest experience.

• Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/
• Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/
• Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/
• Matt Wampler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjwampler/
• ClearCOGS Online: https://www.clearcogs.com/

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