# AI Confidential ## Two guides. Pick yours. Pick the track that fits your business. New guides every week, newest first. ### For Restaurant Operators Multi-unit, franchise, and corporate teams putting AI to work across food cost, labor, and the P&L. [Browse the guides](/content/learn-operators/index.html) ### For Small Business Owners Single-location and owner-operators using AI to punch above their weight without hiring an analyst. [Browse the guides](/content/learn-small-business/index.html) ## Today's special ### AI strategy for restaurant CFOs: the missing half Most AI advice stops at structured data. The real lift is the unstructured half, the playbooks, emails, and manager logs. A CFO's read. By Will Pacio [Read the guide](/content/learn/ai-strategy-restaurant-cfos/index.html) ## The line Everything we've plated lately, newest first. Filter by section or topic. ### The Long Read 8 min **What is an AI agent? Explained like a kitchen** A chatbot is a cookbook; an agent is a line cook that does the work — the whole idea, plus a 15-minute build-your-own. [Learn more](/content/learn/what-is-an-ai-agent/index.html) ### Recipe Card 20 min **How to set up the file that tells your AI how you work** A CLAUDE.md, an AGENTS.md, or project instructions — the one-page file that makes AI work the way you do. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-set-up-your-ai-instructions-file/index.html) ### Recipe Card 15 min **How to stop your AI from making things up** Plan first, a second set of eyes, check the source — the routine that catches the wrong number before you do. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-stop-your-ai-making-things-up/index.html) ### Recipe Card 10 min **How to keep long AI sessions from getting dumb and expensive** Why long chats slow down and cost more — and the handoff that fixes both in ten minutes. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-keep-long-ai-sessions-from-getting-dumb/index.html) ### The Long Read 5 min **Which Claude model should you use?** Fable, Opus, Sonnet, Haiku — the whole Claude lineup explained as a kitchen brigade. [Learn more](/content/learn/which-claude-model-should-you-use/index.html) ### Recipe Card 15 min **How to set up a folder Claude works from** Point Claude at the folder where your reports and invoices land — no more dragging files. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-set-up-a-folder-claude-works-from/index.html) ### The Long Read 6 min **How to connect your restaurant’s data to AI** What it means to connect your numbers to Claude or ChatGPT — and what it takes. [Learn more](/content/learn/connect-restaurant-data-to-ai/index.html) ### Recipe Card 15 min **How to check trends and seasonality using AI** Three numbers, one prompt: tell a real shift from the normal season in fifteen minutes. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-check-trends-and-seasonality-using-ai/index.html) ### Recipe Card 15 min **How to reply to every Google review in 15 minutes a week with AI** Paste the week’s reviews, get on-brand replies, read, tweak, paste. No more blank page. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-reply-to-every-google-review-with-ai/index.html) ### Recipe Card 14 months **How to build your own restaurant AI platform in 14 months** A complete, honest recipe: 16 steps, timed and priced. Every step is real. That's the problem. [Learn more](/content/learn/build-your-own-restaurant-ai-platform/index.html) ### Recipe Card 45 min **Automate your Google Search Console report with Claude** One prompt, one small script, and your search numbers report themselves every Monday. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-automate-your-google-search-console-report/index.html) ### Recipe Card 20 min **Have Claude read your P&L like a CFO** Drag in the monthly PDF, paste one prompt, get the so-what. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-have-claude-read-your-p-and-l/index.html) ### The Long Read 7 min **Best AI and analytics tools for restaurants (2026)** The category, organized like Escoffier's brigade — which station is down? [Learn more](/content/learn/best-ai-tools-for-restaurants/index.html) ### The Long Read 6 min **How do I use AI in my restaurant? The operator's answer** Point AI at your numbers, not your kitchen. Five steps operators actually run. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-use-ai-in-your-restaurant/index.html) ### The Long Read 6 min **Restaurant analytics software: what it does, what it costs, when you don't need it** Most of the market is a pretty dashboard. What to expect in basis points, and the honest math on when to buy. [Learn more](/content/learn/restaurant-analytics-software-guide/index.html) ### Recipe Card Recipe **Have Claude read last week's sales report and flag what to look at** One prompt turns a raw sales export into the three things worth your attention. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-have-claude-read-last-weeks-sales-report/index.html) ### Recipe Card 15 min **Draft your Monday GM email with AI in 15 minutes** One prompt, a four-sentence draft, and your Sunday night back. [Learn more](/content/learn/how-to-draft-your-monday-gm-email/index.html) ### For Operators 9 min **AI strategy for restaurant CFOs: the missing half** The unstructured half of your data is where the real lift hides. A CFO's read. By Will Pacio [Learn more](/content/learn/ai-strategy-restaurant-cfos/index.html) ### For Operators Guide **Three real AI plays for multi-unit operators** Skip the hype. Three uses of AI that pay for themselves this quarter. By Will Pacio [Learn more](/content/learn/three-real-ai-plays/index.html) ### For Operators Guide **Yes, use Claude for your restaurant. Here's what has to be true first.** The honest prerequisites before AI is useful in your back office. By Will Pacio [Learn more](/content/learn/yes-use-claude-for-your-restaurant/index.html) ### Getting Started Guide **How to start using AI in your restaurant this weekend** A weekend-sized first step that turns into an everyday habit. By Will Pacio [Learn more](/content/learn/start-using-ai-this-weekend/index.html) ### The Long Read 11 min **How to run AI in your restaurant continuously: the honest path** Not a smarter chatbot: AI that sees your numbers continuously, without uploads. What it takes to get there. By Will Pacio [Learn more](/content/learn/saturday-morning-ai-to-every-day-ai/index.html)