In Short:
A new trend in restaurants is the use of AI voice assistants, like Jasmine from Bodega, to handle phone inquiries. These AI hosts answer questions about seating, dress code, and reservations, helping busy restaurants manage high call volumes. Startups like Maitre-D and Slang are gaining popularity, allowing staff to focus on serving customers while AI assists callers, improving efficiency.
A pleasant female voice greets me over the phone. “Hi, I’m an assistant named Jasmine for Bodega,” the voice says. “How can I help?”
When I inquire about patio seating, Jasmine expresses regret, informing me that the San Francisco-based Vietnamese restaurant does not offer outdoor seating. Her tone, however, is not indicative of a bad day but rather a programmed feature of her design.
The Rise of AI Voice Restaurant Hosts
Jasmine is part of an emerging trend: AI voice restaurant hosts. If you have recently contacted a restaurant in cities such as New York City, Miami, Atlanta, or San Francisco, you may have conversed with one of Jasmine’s similarly courteous competitors.
While AI voice assistants have gained significant attention in consumer sectors—like Gemini Live and ChatGPT-4o—the field of hospitality phone agents is rapidly evolving, with a growing number of startups targeting restaurant accounts across the United States. Notably, voice ordering AI garnered considerable interest at the National Restaurant Association’s annual food show held last May.
Bodega, the upscale Vietnamese restaurant I contacted, employs Maitre-D AI, which primarily launched in the Bay Area in 2024. Newo, another burgeoning startup, is actively deploying its software in various Silicon Valley eateries. RestoHost, which has been operational for just a year, is currently handling calls for 150 restaurants in the Atlanta metro area. Additionally, Slang, initially focused on the restaurant sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, recently announced a $20 million funding round in 2023 and is expanding its presence in the New York and Las Vegas markets.
Functionality and Use Cases
These platforms provide similar services, featuring an AI phone host that operates 24/7, ready to answer common inquiries related to the restaurant’s dress code, cuisine offerings, seating arrangements, and food allergy policies. Additionally, they facilitate the processes of making, modifying, or cancelling reservations. While some systems can transfer calls to human staff when necessary, Tomas Lopez-Saavedra, co-founder of RestoHost, indicates that only about 10 percent of calls require this intervention. Restaurants can subscribe to various service tiers that unlock additional features, and many of these platforms support multiple languages.
Consumer Behavior in the Digital Age
With the increasing prevalence of digital platforms like Google and Resy, one might question the necessity of calling restaurants. According to several founders of AI voice hosting startups, many customers still prefer this traditional method for various reasons. According to Alex Sambvani, CEO and co-founder of Slang, popular restaurants receive a significant volume of phone calls, particularly if they accept reservations. He estimates that high-demand establishments may receive anywhere from 800 to 1,000 calls monthly. Common callers include last-minute bookers, tourists, older customers, and individuals multitasking while driving.
A Case Study: Bodega SF
Matt Ho, owner of Bodega SF, confirms this trend. “The phones would ring constantly throughout service,” he explains. “We received calls for basic questions that could be answered by our website.” In response to this challenge, Ho explored various options and found that Maitre-D was the most suitable solution. Bodega SF became one of the startup’s first clients in May, with Ho actively participating in the testing phase prior to the launch. “This platform streamlines the role of the host and minimizes disturbances for diners,” he concludes.
