Ben Pryor on Augmented Intuition
04/29/25 • 76 min
1 Listener
#95.
In this episode of The meez Podcast, Josh Sharkey sits down with Ben Pryor, a former restaurant operator turned tech leader at Fourtop, to explore the real-world impact of AI in the hospitality industry—and why it should empower teams, not replace them.
With more than 30 years of experience running restaurants like Noodles & Co., Brinker, and Dewey’s, Ben brings a sharp operator-first perspective to restaurant innovation. He unpacks his concept of “augmented intuition”—a rebrand of AI that’s rooted in support and empowerment rather than substitution—and shares how technology can be used to enhance human decision-making across teams. From simple tools like Expensify to AI-powered note-taking apps, he breaks down the systems that have helped streamline his own day-to-day work.
Josh and Ben also dig into the intersection of technology and hospitality, talking through why investing in people and processes is still critical, the role of friction in the guest experience, and the operational challenges restaurants face when integrating new tech. They explore the importance of service in shaping memorable dining experiences, what scalable leadership really looks like, and how restaurant teams can take ownership of their internal systems and data.
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone thinking critically about the future of hospitality—whether you're navigating AI tools, building smoother workflows, or trying to create a seamless experience for both staff and guests.
Links and resources 📌
Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com
Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez
Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey
Visit Ben: https://www.fourtop.ai/
Audio chapters:
00:00 - Investing in People and Processes
07:47 - Augmented Intuition in the Restaurant Industry
14:54 - AI Tools and Daily Operations
22:57 - The Role of Friction in Hospitality
30:46 - Rethinking Restaurant Operations and Technology
40:08 - Understanding Restaurant Economics
43:52 - The Importance of Service in Dining Experiences
46:05 - The Role of Technology in Restaurant Operations
51:54 - The Intersection of Technology and Hospitality
56:34 - Data Integration Challenges in the Restaurant Industry
01:01:46 - The Future of Restaurant Technology
#95.
In this episode of The meez Podcast, Josh Sharkey sits down with Ben Pryor, a former restaurant operator turned tech leader at Fourtop, to explore the real-world impact of AI in the hospitality industry—and why it should empower teams, not replace them.
With more than 30 years of experience running restaurants like Noodles & Co., Brinker, and Dewey’s, Ben brings a sharp operator-first perspective to restaurant innovation. He unpacks his concept of “augmented intuition”—a rebrand of AI that’s rooted in support and empowerment rather than substitution—and shares how technology can be used to enhance human decision-making across teams. From simple tools like Expensify to AI-powered note-taking apps, he breaks down the systems that have helped streamline his own day-to-day work.
Josh and Ben also dig into the intersection of technology and hospitality, talking through why investing in people and processes is still critical, the role of friction in the guest experience, and the operational challenges restaurants face when integrating new tech. They explore the importance of service in shaping memorable dining experiences, what scalable leadership really looks like, and how restaurant teams can take ownership of their internal systems and data.
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone thinking critically about the future of hospitality—whether you're navigating AI tools, building smoother workflows, or trying to create a seamless experience for both staff and guests.
Links and resources 📌
Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com
Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez
Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey
Visit Ben: https://www.fourtop.ai/
Audio chapters:
00:00 - Investing in People and Processes
07:47 - Augmented Intuition in the Restaurant Industry
14:54 - AI Tools and Daily Operations
22:57 - The Role of Friction in Hospitality
30:46 - Rethinking Restaurant Operations and Technology
40:08 - Understanding Restaurant Economics
43:52 - The Importance of Service in Dining Experiences
46:05 - The Role of Technology in Restaurant Operations
51:54 - The Intersection of Technology and Hospitality
56:34 - Data Integration Challenges in the Restaurant Industry
01:01:46 - The Future of Restaurant Technology
Previous Episode
Digital Hospitality Podcast: Food Cost & Recipe SAAS! How meez is Helping Restaurants Boost Profits & Cut Costs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR1hMlmuFNA&t=1s
Today, we’re highlighting Josh's appearance on a standout episode of Digital Hospitality with host Shawn Walchef. They explore the power of storytelling in business, the surprising ROI of podcasting, and the evolving world of restaurant tech. From menu engineering to system integration, the conversation dives deep into the real-world challenges restaurant owners face—including the lessons that only come through failure. Josh also speaks candidly about the value of mentorship and offers actionable advice for aspiring restaurateurs—focusing on what truly drives success: profitability, innovation, and the ability to adapt in a fast-changing industry.
Links and resources 📌
Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com
Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez
Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey
Listen to Digital Hospitality: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-hospitality/id1235316273
Visit Shawn Walchef: @shawnpwalchef
Audio chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Digital Hospitality and meez
02:23 - The ROI of Podcasting and Storytelling
09:50 - The Purpose and Vision of meez
10:51 - Challenges in Restaurant Tech
18:16 - Menu Engineering Basics for Restaurant Owners
22:12 - Understanding Integration in Restaurant Tech
25:22 - Lessons from Failures in the Restaurant Business
28:32 - Advice for New Restaurant Owners
29:43 - The Role of Mentorship in Business
32:04 - Final Thoughts and Future Plans
Next Episode
Rachael Nemeth on Scalable Training Solutions for the Restaurant Workforce and Beyond
#96.
This week on The meez Podcast, host Josh Sharkey sits down with Rachael Nemeth, CEO and co-founder of Opus, for a candid and insightful conversation that challenges outdated ideas about restaurant training and explores what truly drives team performance, profitability, and sustainable business growth.
Drawing on her early experiences in bakeries, fine dining, and building an ESL training tool for restaurants, Rachael shares how these foundations led to Opus’s broader mission: empowering the deskless workforce through goal-based, interactive, and micro-training. She argues that the traditional “train everything upfront” model is not only inefficient, but actively harms productivity and retention.
Instead, she advocates for contextual, real-time learning that evolves alongside your business, focusing on skill application, behavior change, and coaching over memorization.
Throughout the episode, Josh and Rachael explore how great training starts with clear goals and ends with measurable outcomes, emphasizing the importance of content that mimics familiar formats like social media to boost engagement.
They unpack the psychology of goal setting and knowledge retention, the value of tools like AI, Loom, video, and Scribe, and why perfection in training content can often be the enemy of progress.
Links and resources 📌
Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com
Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez
Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey
Visit Opus: https://www.opus.so/
Visit Rachael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-nemeth
Chapters:
00:00 – The Importance of Goal Setting in Knowledge Retention
01:02 – Navigating Profitability in the Restaurant Industry
06:00 – From ESL Training to Opus: A Journey in Learning
17:37 – Understanding Micro Learning and Its Impact
19:00 – Introducing Opus: A Training Operating System
21:16 – Implementing Opus Internally: A Case Study
30:23 – Strategies for Effective Learning and Retention
33:19 – The Importance of Skill Development in Restaurants
36:14 – Training Essentials for Restaurant Operators
40:55 – Contextual Learning and Decision Making
44:28 – Navigating Decision-Making as Founders
52:31 – Leveraging AI for Personal Productivity
58:22 – The Future of Jobs in the Age of AI
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