What we talked about
Most franchise operators spend years in restaurants before owning their first store. Harish Upputuri took a different path.
Harish came to quick service restaurants after nearly two decades in technology consulting, and he is honest about what that background did and did not prepare him for. We talk about why running a restaurant is a marathon rather than a project, how he introduced AI into the day to day, and the harder part, which was getting his restaurant managers to actually use it. He is specific about where it has paid off so far, in labour forecasting and bookkeeping, where he wants to take it next, in hiring at scale, and why he thinks adoption has to be driven from the top rather than left to each unit to work out alone.
Watch the conversation
Key takeaways
- AI delivers immediate value in practical areas: labor forecasting, scheduling, bookkeeping and hiring support.
- In his experience, showing a measurable outcome, in his case forecasting accuracy in the 90 to 95 per cent range, is the fastest way to encourage AI adoption among restaurant managers.
- AI adoption succeeds when franchisors provide education and franchisees actively implement new ways of working.
- AI's role is augmentation, not replacement. The technology exists to help operators make better decisions daily - not to take decision-making out of their hands.
About the guest
Harish Upputuri
Operator, Savvy Sliders
After nearly two decades in technology consulting - working across financial services, manufacturing, supply chains, banking and capital markets - he found himself in an industry he had never imagined entering: quick-service restaurants. Today, Harish operates Savvy Sliders restaurants in Michigan, and he brings a perspective that is increasingly valuable in today's restaurant industry: looking at operations through the lens of systems, data and technology.