How I use brand‑specific GPTs to support restaurant teams — and why generic AI is not enough.
Over the past year, I’ve noticed a pattern when restaurant professionals talk about ChatGPT.
Most are either:
- Curious but overwhelmed
- Enthusiastic but disappointed by shallow answers
- Or quietly using it, without quite trusting it
That reaction makes sense.
Used casually, ChatGPT feels like a clever intern: fast, polite, occasionally useful — but rarely decisive. Used deliberately, however, it becomes something else entirely: a system that helps teams stay coherent, on‑brand, and intentional under pressure.
The difference is not the tool.
The difference is how it’s set up.
This article explains how I use brand‑tuned GPTs for restaurant brands — and why this approach has quietly become part of my daily work.
Why generic ChatGPT falls short for restaurant brands
Restaurants don’t speak in generic language.
Tone matters. Signals matter. What you don’t say often matters more than what you do.
Out of the box, ChatGPT:
- Averages perspectives
- Smooths out personality
- Defaults to language that sounds correct, but not distinctive
That’s fine for homework.
It’s risky for brands.
In hospitality, language shows up everywhere:
- Promotions
- Menu descriptions
- Internal briefs
- Social captions
- Guest‑facing explanations
If that language drifts — even slightly — brand credibility erodes.
So instead of asking ChatGPT to “write better,” I focus on teaching it how a specific brand thinks, speaks, and decides.
What it means to set up a GPT for a restaurant brand
When people hear “custom GPT,” they often imagine something technical or complex.
In practice, it’s closer to onboarding a new team member — properly.
For each brand, I configure a GPT to understand:
- The brand’s positioning (who it’s for — and who it’s not)
- Its tone (confident, playful, restrained, precise, etc.)
- Its cultural references and boundaries
- Its standards (what feels on‑brand vs off‑brand)
One example is Lucie — a brand‑specific GPT I use as a creative support system.
Lucie isn’t there to replace creative work.
She exists to:
- Generate first‑round promotional language
- Stress‑test tone before it reaches the team
- Help shape ideas so the creative team can finalize faster and better
The output is never “final.”
But it’s aligned — which is the hard part.
How this supports teams in practice
I don’t use brand‑tuned GPTs to make decisions for teams.
I use them to remove friction before creativity begins.
1. Promotions without tonal drift
When a promotion is drafted, the GPT already understands:
- What would sound too salesy
- What would feel off‑brand
- What kind of confidence the brand can credibly carry
That means fewer revisions — and better conversations.
2. Language that helps creatives, not replaces them
The goal isn’t automation.
It’s clarity.
When creatives receive language that already respects the brand’s voice, they can focus on:
- Refinement
- Impact
- Execution
Instead of correcting fundamentals.
3. Consistency under pressure
Busy periods are where brands drift.
A brand‑tuned GPT acts as a quiet stabilizer — especially when timelines are tight and decisions stack up.
The real advantage: brand consistency at scale
Restaurants are built on repetition done well.
So is brand trust.
A GPT that understands a brand’s standards helps ensure that:
- Language stays coherent across channels
- New ideas don’t dilute positioning
- Teams move faster without cutting corners
Over time, this compounds into something rare:
A brand that sounds like itself — consistently.
Why this matters now
AI tools are everywhere.
Which means undifferentiated language is about to be everywhere too.
The advantage will belong to brands that:
- Encode judgment into their systems
- Treat language as a strategic asset
- Use AI to protect identity, not flatten it
For restaurant brands, this is an opportunity — if approached intentionally.
A final note
I’m not interested in turning AI into a gimmick.
I’m interested in using it quietly, intelligently, and in service of stronger brands.
If you’re curious about:
- Setting up a GPT that truly reflects your restaurant’s voice
- Supporting your creative team without diluting authorship
- Or using AI without losing brand discipline
I’m happy to share what I’ve learned.
You’re welcome to reach out, compare notes, or ask thoughtful questions.
Like hospitality itself, this is less about technology — and more about awareness in motion.
