Find a replacement or second source for a kitchen product in minutes: have an AI agent search foodservice products by your allergen, pack-size and equipment limits, shortlist manufacturers, and draft the quote or sample request for you to send: AI agent prompt
Restaurants and commercial kitchens lose time when a product is discontinued, out of stock, or comes from a single supplier. On October 29, 2026 Common Route, a foodservice product directory, launched five AI agents for operators: sourcing agents that search products and manufacturers and ask follow-up questions to narrow results by allergen, pack size or anything else that matters to the kitchen, plus two beta agents that build recipes from an operator's own menu and pantry and write a one-pager to send a manufacturer about a new menu idea. Its examples include finding an alternative to precooked grill-marked chicken or a second source for a honey mustard; operators then message the brand for answers, a quote or a sample. The launch post gives no time or cost figures. The prompt below runs the same sourcing brief with any AI assistant.
The prompt
Help me find a replacement or second source for a product in my kitchen. Product I use now: [name, brand, pack size, case price]. Why I need another: [discontinued, out of stock, too expensive, want a backup]. Must-haves: [allergens to avoid, dietary claims, pack size, shelf life, storage]. My equipment and prep limits: [e.g. no fryer, combi oven only, 2-minute finish]. How I use it on the menu: [dishes]. My distributor(s): [names, or say unknown]. 1) Ask me up to 3 questions if anything important is missing. 2) Describe the product spec I should search for in plain words, including what matters most and what can flex. 3) Suggest the kinds of manufacturers or product lines to look at, and mark every specific brand or product you name as [CHECK] so I verify it's real and available through my distributor. 4) Draft a short message to a manufacturer or distributor asking for a spec sheet, pricing, minimum order and a sample. 5) Give me a side-by-side checklist for testing the sample against what I use now (taste, yield, prep time, cost per portion). Don't contact anyone or place an order; give me the drafts to send.
Fill in the blanks, then copy
This prompt has 6 [bracket]s to fill in. Type your details below and the prompt updates as you go. Your answers stay in this browser and are reused on other prompts with the same blanks. Nothing is sent to us.
Example values are fictional, just to show how a filled-in prompt reads. Replace them with your real details.How to use it
- Copy the prompt above.
- Replace every [bracket] with your own details (use the fill-in-the-blanks box above, which remembers your answers for the next prompt).
- Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Common Route and review the answer before you use it.
Works with: ChatGPT, Claude, Common Route, Gmail
Real-world example: commonroute.com/blog/meet-common-route-agents
Featured in: Free AI agent prompts for small business (beginner-friendly) · ChatGPT prompts for business email, replies and follow-ups · AI prompts to summarize meetings, notes, documents and reports
Before you use it: what to check
Already built into this prompt
- Don't contact anyone or place an order; give me the drafts to send.
- Help me find a replacement or second source for a product in my kitchen.
Check yourself
- Check every figure, price and total against your own records before anything is sent, posted or booked. A person approves refunds, discounts, payments and price changes.
- Remove names, contact details, account numbers and other personal data the task doesn't need before you paste, and check your AI tool's data and training settings.
- Read and edit the draft before it reaches a customer or goes public. If you later automate this prompt, start with "draft and notify me", not "send automatically".
- Check names, dates, numbers and any claim against your own source material before you use the answer. AI can misread or invent details.
Using an AI agent? Download this prompt as a SKILL.md agent skill with these checks built in, or get the .zip for Claude.ai. How to install skills.
Want to make this prompt even better? Grade it with the free prompt grader or build your own with the AI prompt generator.
32 copy-paste agent prompts (PDF) plus 5 new prompts every week.
Get it free