Patrick Cheng bought a run-down Chinese restaurant in Dunwoody, Georgia, in 2020. The pandemic had just shut down his fast-growing homestay rental business, so the restaurant became his fresh start. But even with a business degree and a family background in food service, he lacked the know-how to sustain and scale it.
The turnaround started when Cheng discovered Verizon's free Small Business Digital Ready program and began taking courses on AI, digital marketing, and operations. He learned how to prompt AI tools, then put the skill to work immediately. He uploaded an industry-standard template into an AI platform and used the techniques he had learned to build tailored standard operating procedures for his own restaurant, General Tso's.
He did not stop there. Today General Tso's uses AI-powered technology to answer phones, take orders, and catalog customer feedback. Every piece of feedback, whether it is food quality or a delivery issue, gets reviewed and resolved. That visibility changed the business.
Cheng says the AI resources "impacted almost every level of the business." The tools freed up 50% of his time and more than doubled employee retention. Training got easier too: "We're able to train and retain our employees at a higher rate because they actually know what they're coming into, things you think they know, but do not know," he explains. Better data led to better decisions. An upgraded point-of-sale system, automated promotions, and loyalty programs doubled his average daily revenue in just a few months. "With the right data, we're able to see what's really affecting revenue growth," Cheng says.
We love stories like this because the wins stack up. One AI system feeds better training, better reviews, and more repeat business. If you want AI quietly handling phones, training, and customer feedback inside your business, book a free walkthrough with us and we will show you how.