AI for restaurant groups · UK · Ireland · UAE
An AI Host That Answers Every Call — at Every Location
During the rush the phone rings unanswered — and every missed call is a lost booking, order or event. Infirise AI answers every call at every location, takes reservations in your booking system, captures large-party and catering inquiries, and answers the questions staff hear a hundred times a day.
Meet Rosa, the AI host for Olive & Ember (a fictional restaurant group). Book a table, ask about gluten-free options or plan a party of 20.
AI phone answering for restaurants, in one paragraph
Infirise AI builds AI hosts that answer restaurant phone calls 24/7. They take and change reservations in systems such as OpenTable, SevenRooms or Resy; answer questions about hours, menus, parking and dietary options from information you approve; capture large-party, private-dining and catering inquiries for your events team; and text guests your online-ordering link — so staff can focus on the guests in front of them.
Costs are rising, and guests still call
US restaurant sales are projected to reach $1.55 trillion in 2026 with 15.8 million jobs, yet more than nine in ten operators call food, labor, insurance, energy and card-fee costs significant challenges, and most operators planning to hire expect difficulty finding experienced staff (National Restaurant Association). Guests still pick up the phone: in a poll commissioned by an AI-phone vendor, 63% of Americans said they prefer to call a restaurant and 69% said they would likely stop going to one that doesn’t answer (The Harris Poll for Hostie, 2025).
Sound familiar?
Phones ring out during service
Hosts and servers can’t answer mid-rush, so bookings and orders go to voicemail.
Big bookings slip away
Large-party, private-dining and catering inquiries are the most valuable calls — and the easiest to miss.
The same five questions
Hours, parking, dress code, kids’ menus and “Do you have gluten-free?” — all day, every day.
Every location answers differently
Different answers and booking rules at each site, and no view across the group.
Short-staffed shifts
Nobody wants to hire someone just to answer the phone.
No data on missed demand
You can’t see how many calls you miss, when, or what callers wanted.
What the AI agents do
Voice agent
- ReservationsBooks, changes and cancels in your booking system; manages the waitlist; confirms by SMS.
- Large parties and eventsCaptures date, party size, budget and menu preferences; sends them to the events manager; books site visits.
- FAQsAnswers from your approved information — hours, location, parking, menus and dietary options (with the allergen rule below).
- Takeout and deliveryTexts your online-ordering link; answers order-status questions from your POS where connected.
- Overflow modePicks up only after 3 rings or when lines are busy — staff always get first chance.
Chat & WhatsApp
- Bookings and events by messageHandles website and WhatsApp inquiries for tables and events.
- Group-booking follow-upSends menus and collects deposits through your booking platform’s secure payment link.
Automation
- Missed-demand dashboardCalls by hour, reason and location across the group.
- Events pipelinePushes event inquiries into SevenRooms, Tripleseat or your CRM.
- Feedback requestsTriggers post-visit feedback through your booking platform’s tools.
Hear Rosa book a table
A guest books for tonight and asks about gluten-free food. Note how the agent handles the allergy question.
Sample call · Restaurants
AI agentThanks for calling Olive & Ember Midtown. I’m Rosa, the restaurant’s AI host — this call may be recorded. How can I help?
CallerCan I book a table for four tonight around 7:30?
AI agentI have 7:15 or 8:00 tonight for four. Which works better?
Caller8:00. Also, do you have gluten-free pasta?
AI agentWe do offer a gluten-free pasta. Our kitchen also handles gluten, so if you have celiac disease or a severe allergy, please tell your server when you arrive and the team will guide you. Shall I add a gluten-free note to your booking?
CallerYes, please.
AI agentDone — a table for four at 8:00 tonight under Maria, with a gluten-free note. You’ll get a text confirmation. Anything else?
Agent is responding
After-call summaryReservation created in OpenTable · 4 guests · 8:00 p.m. · note “gluten-free” · SMS confirmation sent · call length 1 min 42 s
Integrations
- Reservations
- OpenTable · SevenRooms · Resy · Tock · ResDiary (UK) · TheFork (EU)
- POS and ordering
- Toast · Square · Clover · Lightspeed · your online-ordering links
- Events and CRM
- SevenRooms · Tripleseat · HubSpot
- Channels
- Phone · SMS · WhatsApp · web chat
How we handle compliance in restaurants
- Allergens: the agent never promises a dish is allergen-free; it gives your approved information and asks guests with allergies to speak to staff.
- Payments: no card numbers by voice. Deposits and prepayments go through your booking platform’s secure payment link, which keeps phone payments out of your PCI DSS scope.
- Recording notice: announced at the start of every call (some US states and EU countries require every party’s consent to record).
- Disclosure: the agent always says it’s an AI; a staff member is one request away during opening hours.
- Marketing: promotional texts only to guests who opted in.
Illustrative example
Example: a five-location group
Each location misses about 20 calls a week — roughly 430 a month. If a quarter of those were booking or ordering attempts worth $80 on average, that’s about $8,600 of demand a month. Recovering half ($4,300) compares with Scale pricing from $1,499 a month. We can measure your real missed-call numbers in week one of a pilot.
Illustrative only. Replace with your own numbers in the ROI calculator.
Fit by business size
Single busy site
AI Receptionist — Essential. If you only need basic bookings, a low-cost restaurant phone app may be enough — we’ll tell you.
from $449 /month
Restaurant group (2–10 locations)
Growth: one brand voice, per-location details, booking-system integration, events capture
from $699 /month
Large group, hotel F&B or hospitality company
Scale: central events desk, several brands, languages, group reporting
from $1,499 /month
Pilot success metrics
- Share of calls answered
- Reservations created by the agent
- Large-party inquiries captured
- Calls transferred to staff
- Guest satisfaction
Questions
Can an AI take restaurant reservations over the phone?
Yes. The AI host checks availability and books, changes or cancels reservations directly in your booking system, then texts the guest a confirmation. Requests outside your rules — say, a party of 30 on a Saturday — go to your team with the details.
Does it work with OpenTable, SevenRooms or Resy?
We connect to leading booking platforms where they offer an API or partner integration. If direct booking isn’t possible, the agent texts the guest your booking link instead.
What does the AI say about allergies?
Only what you approve — and it never promises a dish is allergen-free. It shares your standard information, asks guests with allergies to speak with staff and can add an allergy note to the booking.
Can guests still reach a person?
Yes. You decide when calls go to staff — during quiet hours, for complaints or whenever a guest asks. Many restaurants use overflow mode: staff answer first and the AI picks up when they can’t.
Can one agent answer for all our locations?
Yes. One agent can answer for every location, with each site’s hours, menus and booking rules, and route calls to the right team. You get a group-wide view of calls and bookings.
Is it worth it for a single restaurant?
Sometimes. Busy single sites with lots of calls or events benefit. If you only need basic bookings, a low-cost restaurant phone app may be enough — and we’ll say so. We’re best for groups that need custom workflows, integrations and hands-on support.
Never miss a booking during the rush
Hear Rosa take a booking, then let’s measure your missed calls and set up a pilot across your locations.