Ming-Tai Huh on Square's 40% layoff, the restaurant tech stack, and the dream of one day quantifying the ROI of marketing.

Restaurant technology is shifting from disparate, best-of-breed tools toward integrated, AI-driven systems that empower operators with greater efficiency. Ming-Tai Huh, a restaurateur and former product leader at Toast and Square, explains that while AI is becoming embedded in existing platforms, the real innovation lies in using AI agents to automate back-office tasks like procurement and data analysis. These agents provide operators with the capacity to process complex information and make data-backed decisions without manually managing multiple software interfaces. Despite the trend toward consolidation, specialized interfaces for line-level staff remain essential for daily operations. Ultimately, the industry is moving toward a model where technology acts as a force multiplier, allowing independent restaurant groups to scale by reducing the information gap between new entrants and seasoned operators.