Ribs and Robots: How Tony Roma's is Modernizing a 50-Year-Old Brand

Mohaimina (Mina) Haque, CEO of Tony Roma’s, discusses franchise operations and AI/robotics adoption. She covers the restaurant industry’s razor-thin margins, post-pandemic labor and supply pressures, and Tony Roma’s localized approach to pricing and supply while maintaining core menu consistency. Haque describes successful franchisee characteristics (capitalization, operational skill, adaptability), the brand’s 42-unit footprint across 22 countries, pilot robot runners in Carson, CA and Durham, NC emphasizing efficiency plus human service, and an AI philosophy focused on productivity, critical thinking, and careful output screening.