The Hospitality Hangout · 2026-06-16 · 29 min
Live from the Restaurant Leadership Conference, Hospitality Hangout sits down with M.J. Worsham, Vice President of Technology at Five Guys, to discuss AI in restaurants, automation, loyalty programs, restaurant operations, POS systems, labor optimization, guest experience, and the technology trends shaping the future of hospitality. M.J. shares how Five Guys evaluates emerging restaurant technology, why AI vendors must prove real operational value, how automation can improve restaurant management, and why the best technology solutions help employees rather than replace them. The conversation also dives into restaurant loyalty, direct-to-consumer marketing, premium restaurant positioning, POS evolution, restaurant data strategy, workforce technology, and the future of AI-powered restaurant operations. If you're a restaurant operator, franchise executive, hospitality leader, technology provider, or investor focused on restaurant innovation, this episode delivers valuable insights from one of the industry's leading technology executives.
Other episodes covering the same guests and topics, from across The B2B Podcast Index.
Why Busy Restaurants Still Fail: Bruce Nelson on the Math Behind Profit64 / 100
People First, Pizza Always: The Donatos Growth Playbook50 / 100
Maui Roots, San Diego Hustle: The Kalei’s Kitchenette Story
How The Mudpuppy Used AI Menu Engineering to Grow Restaurant Sales
How Rickey Booker Built Breakfast Brothers From the Ground Up
