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For a management group that owns and operates over 80 fast-food restaurants across the United States, staffing was a constant challenge.
With no centralized recruiting team, local restaurant managers were running over 10,000 first-round interviews per year. Each interview took about an hour, factoring in no-shows, reschedules, and interruptions to store operations.
The result?
- Slow hiring (averaging 4 weeks to fill a role)
- Lost talent to competitors who could hire in under a week
- Frustrated managers forced to drop what they were doing when a candidate walked in unannounced
“Getting the interviews (done) ahead of time means we don’t have to drop everything when someone walks in. It saves a ton of time.”
— Store Manager
The Solution: Letting AI Lead the First Round
The management group implemented Braintrust AIR as a virtual first-round interviewer. Candidates could now complete their initial interview 24/7, right from their phones — often within minutes of applying.
Here’s how it worked:
- All candidates who applied via the corporate job boards were routed directly into AIR, bypassing the manual process of scheduling interviews on managers' calendars — saving teams hours each week and drastically reducing time spent on unqualified candidates and no-shows.
- QR codes were placed at the front of each store; walk-ins could scan a code on the spot, interview immediately, and be reviewed later — no scheduling chaos.
- Store managers took to using the QR codes as a recruitment technique, slipping flyers with the interview link into takeout bags, handing them out at community events, and other creative ways to drive applicants directly into the AI interview.
- Managers quickly jumped to their top 20-30% of candidates, cutting their interview time by more than 80%
The Results: Faster, Cheaper, Better Hiring
In the first month across stores in Texas and Ohio, AIR completed ~340 AI-led interviews with a 75% completion rate — a strong sign of candidate engagement.
The results are undeniable:
- 7,000+ manager hours saved annually
- Interview costs cut by $280K/year
- Time-to-hire reduced from 4 weeks to 1 week
- Higher-quality pipeline: 34% of candidates scored 3.5+ (hire-worthy)
- Fewer no-shows and stronger second-round interviews
Even better than the top line results for the management company? The front line feedback from store managers who instantly felt relief from this new process:
- “Second interviews are stronger — I know what to drill into.”
- “Love seeing the score before I even watch the video.”
The Takeaway: An Operations Investment That Pays Off
At less than $100/month per location, AIR paid for itself many times over — delivering measurable ROI while improving both the candidate and manager experience.
“It benefits me a lot — no random pop-ups, and I can review candidates whenever I have a minute.” — Store Manager
For fast-moving industries like restaurants and retail, that kind of operational lift isn’t just a hiring advantage — it’s a competitive edge.
Ready to Transform Your Hiring Process?
Contact Braintrust to learn how AIR can support your growth. Better yet; try it for free today!
