In this episode of Restaurant AI, host Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, sits down with Danny Klein, Editorial Director of QSR Magazine, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving role of journalism in the restaurant industry, the rise of AI-powered tools, and the importance of trust in a saturated media landscape.
Danny shares his unexpected journey from sports writing to restaurant trade journalism (2:28), how QSR Magazine builds and protects editorial trust, and what it means to serve a B2B audience that values data over dining reviews. The two dive into the challenges and opportunities of AI in journalism (16:58), including QSR’s new AI-powered internal search tool and the shifting role of editors in the “truth-telling economy”—where brand trust and personal voice matter more than ever.
They also explore the tension between technology and hospitality in restaurants (56:29), what defines a winning brand in today’s landscape of falling traffic and digital overload, and why experience still drives loyalty in a post-COVID, omnichannel restaurant world. From Texas Roadhouse’s smart tech moves to the dangers of overbuilding, this episode delivers real insights for operators, marketers, and media professionals alike.
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