Good AI needs good data
MarginEdge organizes the data behind restaurant operations, from invoices and purchasing to inventory, recipes and sales. Now, that trusted foundation powers AI built specifically for restaurants, helping operators make better decisions, take action faster, and spend more time focused on hospitality.
MarginEdge has two powerful tools available - Tom and our MCP server. This article introduces both and helps you decide which tool to use when.
Article Contents
- Meet Tom: Restaurant expertise, built into MarginEdge
- MCP: The first RMS AI connector purpose-built for restaurant data
- Tom vs. the MCP connector: Which one do I use?
- What can I ask Tom and my AI platform?
Meet Tom: Restaurant expertise, built into MarginEdge
Tom is your restaurant operations copilot, built right into MarginEdge. He helps you understand what happened, why it happened and what to do next.
- Understands your business: built on your MarginEdge data, not generic information
- Explains the why: surfaces the story behind cost overages and sales swings
- Helps you get ahead: guidance on prep, ordering, and waste before it hits the P&L
Where can I find Tom?
You can access Tom in the top right navigation bar:
...and from the center of the menu on your mobile app!
MCP: The first RMS AI connector purpose-built for restaurant data
For teams who already work inside ChatGPT, Claude, or other AI tools, MCP puts your MarginEdge data to work there too, securely and alongside the rest of your business.
- Bring your data anywhere: connect MarginEdge into the AI tools you already use
- See the full picture: combine restaurant ops with the rest of your business systems
- Stay in control: you decide what gets accessed, always
Learn more here: Connecting your [me] data to your AI Platform
Tom vs. the MCP connector: Which one do I use?
| Tom | MCP connector | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Tom is MarginEdge's AI-powered, built-in chat assistant that gives restaurant operators instant answers to your most pressing operational questions. | An MCP connector securely connects your MarginEdge data to AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, so you can work in the tools you already use. |
| Where it lives | Built into MarginEdge (top right menu bar) | In your AI tool of choice — ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini |
| Setup required | None, it's already there | Yes, a one-time connection (instructions provided) |
| Best for | Fast, in-the-moment answers while you're in MarginEdge | More advanced prompts, like combining with other tools and data, running on a schedule and building reusable dashboards |
What can I ask Tom and my AI platform?
We have a full library of prompts!
AI Prompt Ideas for Actionable Insights