AI consulting for food service SMBs. Research, strategy, domains, and go-to-market playbook.
ClearMargin is a two-person AI consultancy that helps restaurants, bars, and cafes deploy AI tools that actually improve their operations. We don't build software. We evaluate, deploy, and integrate the best existing AI tools for each operator's specific situation.
The opportunity: AI tools for food service are maturing fast (voice AI, demand forecasting, scheduling optimization, review management), but the people who run restaurants don't have time to evaluate, buy, or integrate them. Nobody fills the "fractional technology partner" role for SMB food service. That's us.
"Your tech stack is costing you money. We audit what you have, find the gaps, and deploy AI tools that pay for themselves in 90 days."
of restaurants still use manual scheduling. Pen-and-paper or basic spreadsheets.
of operators say they're satisfied with their current tech stack. Everyone else knows it's broken.
of calls go unanswered at restaurants without voice AI. That's reservations, catering orders, and takeout lost.
average monthly software spend per location. They're paying for tools but not getting the integration or optimization value.
Not just chains. Broad SMB food service:
Sweet spot: the operator who knows their tech is outdated, is already paying $500+/mo in software, but doesn't have the time or technical knowledge to optimize it.
| Category | Key Players | Market Share / Notes | Monthly Cost | API Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed | Toast ~23-25%, Square ~28% | $60-300+ | Yes (both open) |
| Scheduling | 7shifts, HotSchedules, Homebase | 7shifts: 55K+ restaurants | $30-150 | 7shifts: Yes |
| Inventory | MarketMan, BlueCart, Lightspeed | Fragmented, no clear winner | $100-300 | Varies |
| Voice AI | Slang.ai, Loman.ai, Hostie.ai | Most mature AI category | $199-600 | N/A (deploy) |
| Reviews | Marqii, Yext, Reputation | Marqii focused on hospitality | $150-375 | Yes |
| Marketing | Owner.com, Popmenu, BentoBox | Owner.com growing fast | $179-499 | Limited |
| Accounting | Restaurant365, MarginEdge, Xero | R365 is the restaurant standard | $200-500+ | Yes |
Premium phone AI. Handles reservations, FAQs, call routing. Best for upscale and full-service restaurants. Toast integration.
Mid-range phone AI. Takes orders, answers questions. Good for pizza, fast-casual, takeout-heavy concepts.
Reservation-focused AI. Good for host-stand heavy restaurants. Covers reservations, waitlist, and basic phone handling.
Every tool above works in isolation. POS doesn't talk to scheduling. Scheduling doesn't talk to demand forecasts. Reviews don't feed into menu decisions. The "stack integrator" role for SMB food service doesn't exist yet. That's the entire business.
60-minute ops and tech audit. Map their current stack, identify top 3 AI opportunities. No commitment, no pitch. This is our foot-in-the-door.
2-week deep dive. Full tech stack audit, vendor evaluation, prioritized roadmap with ROI projections. Delivered as executive report.
Everything in Discovery + full deployment, staff training, custom integrations, performance dashboard. 30-day post-launch support.
Ongoing optimization, vendor management, quarterly strategy reviews, priority support. We manage their AI stack.
For early clients, this lowers the barrier to entry and aligns our incentives with results. If we save a restaurant $8K/mo in labor costs, we earn $1,500 + $1,200 = $2,700/mo. As we build case studies, we transition to flat-rate pricing.
| Scenario | Clients | Monthly Revenue | Annual Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 3 retainers + 2 sprints/quarter | ~$12K-15K | ~$200K |
| Target | 5 retainers + 3 sprints/quarter | ~$18K-22K | ~$300K |
| Stretch | 5 retainers + 4 sprints/quarter + hourly | ~$25K-30K | ~$400K |
Reference: BruMate engagement at $200/hr validates market willingness to pay for AI consulting.
Shadow shifts, interview staff, document current workflows, map tech stack, audit vendor contracts and costs. Identify pain points and quick wins.
Evaluate 2-3 tools per category against their specific needs. Build ROI models. Present prioritized implementation plan with projected savings.
Deploy first tool (usually voice AI, highest ROI). Configure settings, build integrations between systems, set up dashboards and alerts.
Train managers and staff on new tools. Create SOPs. Roll out across all locations. Handle edge cases and adjustments.
Measure results against baseline. Document wins. Present final report. Pitch retainer for ongoing optimization.
~150 domains checked via WHOIS. These are all confirmed available as of February 2026.
Clean, professional, implies clarity + profit margins. Works for food service AND general SMB consulting if we expand later. Strong brand story.
Kitchen terminology ("prep work") that also reads as "preparation works." Fun, memorable, food-native branding.
"Temper" as in tempering chocolate or steel. Implies precision, craft, and quality. Short and punchy.
"Table turns" is a core restaurant metric. This name immediately signals food service expertise. Strong SEO potential for restaurant AI searches.
Covers restaurants, bars, hotels, catering. Wider scope if we want to expand beyond just restaurants.
Primary brand: ClearMargin.ai (clean, premium, works on business cards and in conversation).
SEO redirect: RestaurantAIConsulting.com (captures search traffic, redirects to ClearMargin.ai). Combined cost is under $30/year.
Ryan's background at EZCater provides a warm pipeline of restaurant operator contacts. This is the single biggest unfair advantage. Operators trust people who understand their world.
Once we have a few retainer clients, there are natural expansions:
Strategy, AI & Implementation
Operations, Sales & Client Success