Jerry Phillips

Jerry Phillips is the VP of Technology at Whataburger, a fast-food restaurant chain based in San Antonio, Texas.145 In his role, he has been instrumental in implementing innovative technologies to enhance the customer experience and improve operational efficiency.

Phillips has been involved in several key initiatives at Whataburger:

1. Biometric Payments: He oversaw the implementation of pay-by-face technology at some Whataburger locations, allowing customers to make purchases using facial recognition.15

2. AI-Powered Sales Forecasting: Under his leadership, Whataburger has started using AI to help forecast sales.2

3. Data Centralization: Phillips emphasized the importance of centralizing restaurant data as a foundation for AI implementation.2

Phillips advocates for a measured approach to adopting new technologies. He recommends that restaurants "pick one or two use cases for the technology and go from there" rather than trying to implement everything at once.2 He also expressed concerns about data governance in the rush to implement AI technologies.2

Prior to his role at Whataburger, Phillips has had experience in sales strategy and execution. His areas of expertise include data analysis, customer and market analysis, strategic planning, sales acceleration, recruitment process, succession planning, management coaching, and business development.3