Solving Restaurant IT Chaos: The Ultimate Tech Strategy

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Sam Stanovich sits down with Andy Freivogel (Co-Founder of Science on Call) to discuss how growing restaurant brands can eliminate operational friction, optimize tech spending and prepare for the future of store operations.

Key Takeaways

  1. Automate the Routine, Preserve Humans for Real Crisis
  2. Stop Buying Software When Your Team Only Uses 15% of Current Tech
  3. The Traditional POS Terminal Is On Borrowed Time

In an era where fast-casual and quick-service restaurant (QSR) operators are inundated with point-of-sale systems, third-party delivery apps, customer data platforms, and AI tools, managing store technology can quickly feel like a full-time job. When systems go down during a peak Friday night rush, lost connectivity translates directly into lost sales.

On Episode 10 of  Chicago Sam’s Franchise GPS, host Sam Stanovich sits down with Andy Freivogel, Co-Founder of Science On Call, to discuss how growing restaurant brands can eliminate operational friction, optimize tech spending, and prepare for the future of store operations—all while keeping hospitality at the core.

 Automate the Routine, Preserve Humans for Real Crisis 

AI and conversational automation excel at crunching numbers, aggregating disparate data sources, and executing repetitive administrative tasks in seconds—such as 86ing an out-of-stock menu item across multiple delivery aggregators simultaneously.  

However, relying entirely on automated scripts during unscripted store-level emergencies fails store managers when they need help most.

Effective technology support uses automation to handle high-volume, routine requests so human technicians have the breathing room to deliver real-time empathy and urgency during store crises:  

  • Routine Efficiency: Deploying conversational AI for common troubleshooting tasks speeds up response times and reduces operational anxiety.

  • Human-in-the-Loop: Critical store decisions and complex technical failures require human oversight, judgment, and discernment.  

  • Hospitality-First Support: Hiring help desk technicians with front-line restaurant experience ensures support teams speak the operator's language and understand the pressure of peak service hours.

 Stop Buying Software When Your Team Only Uses 15% of Current Tech 

When store operations face friction, the knee-jerk reaction for many operators is to buy another software tool or add another platform to an already bloated tech stack. Front-line restaurant employees are routinely expected to navigate anywhere from 15 to 20 distinct hardware, software, and middleware systems during a shift.

When evaluating where to allocate technology capital for maximum store-level return on investment, operators should focus on two foundational areas:

  • Secure the Revenue Pipe ($50/mo): With up to 70% of restaurant orders arriving via cloud channels, investing in redundant internet connectivity is the single most critical safeguard against lost sales.

  • Invest in System Training: Rather than adding new software licenses, allocating budget toward hands-on staff training unlocks built-in functionality in systems you already pay for and removes operational stress on the line.

  • Eliminate Adoption Friction: Complex, unvetted tools create friction for front-line teams, pulling their focus away from guest interaction and core hospitality.

 

 The Traditional POS Terminal Is On Borrowed Time 

As digital, off-premise, and mobile ordering continue to generate the majority of QSR revenue, the physical cash register terminal sitting on the front counter is rapidly shifting from an essential operational anchor to a source of friction.

The next evolution of restaurant technology is focused on shortening the distance between guest order intent and kitchen display execution:

  • Obviating Order Entry: Integrated delivery platforms, mobile apps, and direct-to-kitchen routing are diminishing the need for manual order punching at counter registers.
  • Contextual Recognition: Geofencing, guest Wi-Fi, and Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) will allow stores to recognize returning guests automatically and suggest routine orders seamlessly.
  • Returning to Pure Hospitality: Removing order-entry mechanics from front-counter interactions allows team members to focus entirely on guest engagement, speed of service, and food presentation.

Build a Scalable, Friction-Free Restaurant Tech Stack

Whether you are standardizing infrastructure across your first 10 locations or scaling to 50+ units, setting up reliable tech systems and support operations is critical to protecting your bottom line.

    • Watch the Full Episode: Catch the complete conversation with Sam Stanovich and Andy Freivogel onYouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
    • Learn More about Science on Call: Visit Science On Call to discover how 24/7 tech help desk support powered by AI and restaurant veterans can reduce store anxiety. 
    • Explore Franchising: Visit Craveworthy Brands to learn how our portfolio systems and operational leadership support growing franchise partners.

Want more insider franchise tips? Listen to the full conversation on Episode 9 of Chicago Sam’s Franchise GPS on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube!

Episode Links

About Sam Stanovich

Sam is a dynamic leader with over 30 years of experience in leadership roles across the hospitality industry, including serving as an active QSR franchisee of a national brand. He is a people connector and influential leader known for his growth mindset and ability to build strong, lasting relationships. Sam hosts the Franchise GPS podcast, where his industry experience and leadership perspective help shape meaningful conversations around franchising and business growth.
 

About Andy Freivogel

 Andy Freivogel is the CEO and Co-Founder of Science On Call, an AI-enabled 24/7 technology help desk platform designed specifically to solve store-level IT emergencies for fast-casual and quick-service restaurants. A true industry veteran with over 30 years of cross-disciplinary experience, Andy built his foundation right in the hospitality trenches—starting as a fry cook and barista before serving as the Director of IT for Intelligentsia Coffee, where he led system growth across major national markets. Combining deep technical knowledge with genuine restaurant empathy, Andy launched Science On Call to strip operational friction away from store teams, helping operators protect top-line digital revenue and streamline bloated tech stacks through a smart blend of automated AI workflows and empathetic, human-centered IT support. 
 

 

About Gregg Majewski

Gregg Majewski has a vast amount of experience as a corporate executive in the restaurant industry. As the former CEO of Jimmy John’s, he played a major role in expanding the franchise from 33 to 300+ stores in just 5 years by surrounding the company’s marketing strategy around the innovative approach of delivering sandwiches and being “freaky fast”. Majewski has worked to develop restaurant concepts over the last two plus decades, before starting Craveworthy Brands in 2023, which currently includes a growing portfolio of restaurant brands. Craveworthy Media is Majewski’s gift back to the industry that has given him so much. The goal of Craveworthy is to inspire the up and coming industry leaders by providing important information, stories, and insights from titans past and present.

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