That AI scheduling tool my restaurant tried actually saved our line on a Friday night
I work in a busy kitchen downtown, and last month the owners rolled out this AI system to predict how many covers we'd do each night. I was dead against it, figured no algorithm could account for random rushes or slow nights. But after three straight Fridays where we were either drowning or sending staff home early, I had to admit the thing was kind of on point. It pulled data from weather forecasts, local event calendars, even traffic patterns near the city center. Last weekend it flagged a 28% increase in diners because of a concert at the arena, so we prepped an extra 40 pounds of protein and it saved us from getting slammed. Now I'm wondering if other kitchens out there have tried similar tools, or if you think that's just another step toward the robots taking over the fry station entirely?