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In this episode, we're joined by Tim from Caffè Nero, Andy from SSP, and John from CrunchTime for a no-nonsense conversation about AI in hospitality. What's actually delivering ROI, what's failed, and what the future looks like for operators on the ground. Less LinkedIn hype, more real talk.
What's Actually Working
AI forecasting is the clearest ROI win — CrunchTime saw adoption jump from ~1% to 50% of locations in 12 months
Caffè Nero is piloting AI-driven stock availability and assisted ordering
SSP is using AI for labor forecasting, trading hour optimization, and upsell recommendations
The Data Problem
Bad data kills AI results — CrunchTime's own support AI was 3% accurate until they cleaned up their data sources
The sweet spot for forecasting data: 400 days (more doesn't meaningfully improve accuracy)
82% of UK operators use tech forecasting, but average accuracy is only 62%
Change Management is the Hard Part
John: The #1 reason implementations fail isn't the tech — it's change management in operations
Andy: SSP is shifting from technology-led to business transformation-led change
Keep humans in the loop — let GMs enrich AI forecasts, not just override them
What's Coming
Voice-based AI for managers: ask your phone for stats or tomorrow's forecast, no back-office report needed
Managers move from the back office to the floor — John's timeline: 5–7 years for widespread adoption
One Piece of Advice Each
John: Pick a small pilot with engaged managers and start there
Andy: Understand the business problem first — don't implement tech for tech's sake
Tim: Find an internal AI subject matter expert; you don't need a Head of AI
