The Fryer Wire Podcast

The restaurant industry just got its latest checkup — and the numbers tell a story. The September Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) dipped to 99.4, signaling mild contraction in the U.S. restaurant market. Traffic is soft, sales are flat, and operator optimism is the lowest it’s been since spring. But it’s not all bad news. In this episode of The Fryer Wire, host George Penyak breaks down what’s really happening across the industry — from tech innovation to policy wins that could reshape how

Welcome to the very first Fryer Wire—your fast, fun rundown of the biggest food-service headlines, served with hot takes from host George Penyak and co-host ChatGPT. 🔥 Stories on the grillWendy’s drives into the future with FreshAICEO Kirk Tanner says voice-AI ordering will jump from ≈100 pilots to 500-600 drive-thrus by year-end 2025. Early results: higher accuracy, faster speed, and bigger checks via smart upsells. Business InsiderChili’s “all-time” turnaroundParent Brinker International posted a