Exec summary

Prime Steak Concepts transformed its accounts payable operations by implementing Ottimate’s comprehensive AP automation solution. After a brief detour to another invoice processing system, which resulted in significant reconciliation issues, the company returned to Ottimate and now processes approximately 4,000 invoices monthly across its 10 upscale restaurant locations. The solution has delivered seamless automation, improved visibility into approval processes, and enabled the finance team to transition from manual data entry to strategic oversight—freeing time for cost analysis and margin improvement. Ottimate also supports long-term profitability by minimizing processing errors, preventing overpayments, and helping optimize cash flow.

About Prime Steak Concepts

Prime Steak Concepts is a family-owned business that operates a portfolio of 10 ultra-luxury fine dining steakhouse locations across six states, including multiple Steak 48 locations, Ocean 48, Dominick’s, Steak 44, and Ocean 44.

Led by co-owners and founders, James Beard-nominated brothers Jeffrey and Michael Mastro, Prime Steak Concepts has evolved from owning Mastro’s Steakhouses and Mastro’s Ocean Club to building a collection of high-end restaurants that serve discerning clientele nationwide.

CFO, Keith Kinard, who has been with the company for 22 years, led the implementation of Ottimate, ushering in a far more sophisticated and effective AP solution to better support the company and improve operational efficiencies.

The challenge

Like many multi-location restaurant groups, Prime Steak Concepts faced significant operational challenges with its manual accounts payable processes. Before implementing AP automation, the finance team struggled with labor-intensive invoice management across all locations.

“Our stores would fax us invoices on a daily basis, and then we would enter those manually into our AP system. It was incredibly manual. Ottimate completely changed how we work”, said Kinard.

The manual process created bottlenecks in the finance team’s workflow, limiting their ability to focus on higher-value activities. It also imposed hidden financial costs—missed early payment discounts, delayed vendor payments, and inefficient staff allocation all chipped away at operating margins.

 Additionally, the company needed a solution that would integrate seamlessly with their R365 accounting software while providing enhanced visibility into their approval process.

The solution

Prime Steak Concepts initially implemented Plate IQ (now Ottimate) in 2018, drawn by its machine learning technology and R365 integration capabilities. The intuitive platform made it easy for the team to onboard, establish custom approval workflows, and streamline payment processing.  

“Everyone on our staff is already familiar with Ottimate, so it was an easy switch back from our previous system,” Kinard said. “It definitely made things easier on the payment side.” 

The decision to return to Ottimate wasn’t just about convenience—it was a financial decision. The team recognized that process clarity, invoice accuracy, and AI-powered controls would ultimately protect margins and reduce unnecessary spend.

“We needed visibility into the whole approval process and being able to set up rules regarding that,” Kinard said. “Ottimate gives you visibility and the approval history of who’s approving what and when, which is something we really like.”Beyond standard AP automation, Prime Steak Concepts has embraced Ottimate’s full suite of solutions, including VendorPay for payment processing and the spend cards feature. The company is also participating in the beta program for Ottimate’s catalog matching feature, which uses AI to compare invoice details to those listed in vendors’ price catalogs. The system flags any discrepancies, helping to avoid misspending and improve accuracy.

“Catalog Match is a big deal for us — it pulls from our actual item database and is already improving inventory accuracy”. — Keith Kinard, CFO

Results

Implementing Ottimate’s comprehensive AP automation solution has delivered significant operational improvements for Prime Steak Concepts. The company now processes approximately 4,000 invoices per month through the platform, with most payments made via check, ACH, or virtual cards, which are handled through VendorPay rather than manual processing. 

“For the most part, our payment processing is done through VendorPay,” Kinard said. “We do some manual payments, but those are rare.”

The automation has enabled the finance team to shift from manual data entry to more strategic activities, while maintaining better oversight of their accounts payable (AP) operations. The tight integration with R365 has been particularly valuable for maintaining workflow efficiency.

“The seamless interface with Restaurant 365 has been great,” Kinard emphasized. 

System stability has also improved significantly since returning to Ottimate. Whereas the finance team previously experienced frequent processing errors and system issues, they now enjoy reliable performance.

The upcoming implementation of Ottimate spend cards represents a significant opportunity for cost savings, tighter spend control, and better vendor terms. Combined with catalog matching, these tools proactively prevent invoice overspend—directly boosting profit margins by improving cost-of-goods accountability.

“Ottimate’s system is very robust, so it’s going to save us more money,” Kinard said.

For Kinard, the most significant value in using Ottimate comes from the comprehensive automation and centralized visibility the platform provides: “We’ve automated the invoice process with Ottimate,” he said. “Having visual images of all the invoices right in our accounting system is the biggest benefit. Ottimate completely changed how we work.” 

Prime Steak Concepts’ experience demonstrates how the right AP automation platform doesn’t just transform workflows—it drives real financial outcomes. From reduced processing costs to improved margin protection, Ottimate empowers restaurant groups to scale profitably while maintaining rigorous operational oversight.

See how AI-driven automation can transform your AP processes by booking your demo today.