Restaurant phones ring even during the busiest moments. For single-location restaurants, missed calls often result in lost reservations, missed catering requests, or frustrated guests.
Staffing shortages make it hard to keep phones covered. During service, teams focus on diners. After closing, calls still come in. With tight margins, adding staff just to answer phones isn’t always realistic.
AI receptionists help fill that gap. They answer calls, handle common questions, and capture reservations so nothing gets missed, without increasing payroll.
In this blog, we’ll look at how AI receptionists work for restaurants, where they help most, and what to watch for before choosing one.
What an AI Receptionist Does for Restaurants
An AI receptionist handles restaurant calls and messages the way a front-of-house host would. It answers questions, takes reservations, and routes calls—without breaks, voicemail, or limited hours.
Instead of a recorded menu, the AI understands what guests are asking and responds in plain language. You set the rules, and it follows them consistently, day and night. This lets your in-house team stay focused on guests in the dining room.
1. Phone, web, and in-store support
A top-rated AI receptionist can handle more than phone calls. It can respond to web chat, texts, and other digital messages using the same logic and answers. Guests get consistent responses whether they call, message online, or interact on-site.
For restaurants, this means fewer missed questions and fewer interruptions during service.
2. Works with your existing systems
AI receptionists are most useful when they connect to your current tools. This can include your phone system, reservation platform, POS, or ordering software.
When connected, the AI can:
- Check availability
- Confirm reservations
- Answer order or pickup questions
Without these connections, the AI can talk—but it can’t really help.
3. Matching your restaurant’s tone
The experience should feel like your restaurant, not a robot. Better systems let you control tone, greetings, and when a call should always go to a human.
For example, allergy questions or large event bookings can be routed directly to a manager. The goal is simple: guests feel helped, even if they don’t realize they spoke to AI.
Why Restaurants Are Using AI Receptionists
Restaurants run on tight margins and limited staff. Every minute spent answering the phone during a rush is time not spent serving tables.
AI receptionists help by:
- Answering every call, even during peak hours
- Reducing missed reservations and inquiries
- Freeing staff to focus on in-person service
For restaurant owners, the benefit is clear. You can handle more demand with the team you already have, without hurting the guest experience.
Top AI Receptionist Platforms for Restaurant Owners
Choosing an AI receptionist is also about reliability, ease of use, and how well the tool fits real restaurant operations. Below are the platforms that stand out most for restaurant owners.
1. Nextiva
Nextiva offers an all-in-one communication platform designed for high-call-volume environments such as restaurants. Phones, voicemail, call routing, and an AI receptionist all live in one system, which keeps setup and management simple. XBert AI works well for both single-location restaurants and growing multi-location groups.
Why it works for restaurants:
- One platform for phones and AI answering
- AI can handle reservations, menus, and common questions
- Strong uptime and reliable call handling
- Centralized control across locations
- U.S.-based support available 24/7
Pricing: Starts at $99/month for 100 interactions, then $0.99 per interaction.
2. Smith.ai
Smith.ai combines AI with live agents, offering a hybrid approach. It’s useful for restaurants that want automated call screening but still rely on humans for more complex or sensitive conversations.
Best for:
- Call screening and spam filtering
- Human backup for escalations
- Appointment or booking support
- Handling calls and texts together
Pricing: Higher than AI-only options and scales based on call volume and live agent use.
3. Ruby Receptionists
Ruby focuses on live, human answering. Calls are handled by real receptionists using custom greetings, which helps create a friendly first impression. AI plays a smaller role here compared to other options.
Best for:
- Restaurants that want a personal, human touch
- Message taking and call routing
- Overflow or after-hours call handling
Pricing: Ruby is less automated, but some restaurants prefer the consistency of live agents.
TLDR: If you want the most automation with the fewest tools to manage, Nextiva is the strongest option. Smith.ai works well if you want AI plus human support. Ruby is a better fit if live answering matters more than automation.
AI Receptionist Comparison for Restaurants
| Key factors | Nextiva | Smith.ai | Ruby Receptionists |
| Starting price | $99/month | From ~$280/month | From ~$339/month |
| How it works | AI-first, all-in-one system | AI with live agent backup | Mostly live agents |
| Best use | Handling most calls automatically | Screening and routing calls | Human call answering |
| Integrations | Phone, POS, reservations, delivery | CRM and calendar | Basic CRM and calendar |
| Support hours | 24/7 support | Business hours | Business hours |
| Scaling | Pay per interaction | Plans based on minutes | Plans based on minutes |
Essential Features to Look for in an AI Receptionist
When choosing an AI receptionist, focus on results. Most restaurant owners want fewer missed calls, calmer rush hours, and guests who feel helped.
The right system should:
- Understand normal guest requests, not force button menus
- Handle reservations, hours, menu questions, and directions out of the box
- Works the same across phone, text, and web
When something feels confusing or urgent, the AI should pass the call to staff right away. That handoff needs to include context so guests don’t have to repeat themselves.
Reporting should support operations, not vanity metrics. Seeing call volume, peak times, and common questions is usually enough to guide staffing and process changes.
Real-World Uses for Restaurants
AI receptionists are most helpful with repeat and time-sensitive calls.
Common use cases include:
- Taking reservations and quoting wait times
- Handling delivery and pickup questions
- Answering menu and allergy-related inquiries
For multi-location restaurants, AI also helps maintain consistency.
- Calls are routed to the correct location
- Hours, policies, and greetings stay the same
- Reporting is centralized across sites
Implementation Checklist: Rolling Out an AI Receptionist
You don’t need an IT team to set up an AI receptionist, but a clear plan helps avoid issues.
Before going live, make sure you have:
- Your current menu, hours, holiday schedule, and reservation rules
- Clear rules for when calls should always go to staff (allergy questions, large events)
- Real past calls to test how the system responds
Most platforms guide this setup. With tools like Nextiva, much of this is handled through templates you can adjust over time.
Preparing Your Team
AI works best when staff trust it. Explain that it’s there to catch missed calls and reduce phone pressure.
Walk the team through what callers will hear, show when calls transfer to humans, and review a few early calls together. This helps staff see the AI as support, not something to work around.
Measuring Results Over Time
Focus on simple signals:
- Are more calls being answered?
- Are fewer guests hanging up?
- Is staff spending less time on the phone?
The best results come from small updates. Review common questions, adjust scripts, and update menus or hours as needed. AI reception improves when it’s treated as a system you tune over time.
Next Steps for Restaurant Owners
An AI receptionist isn’t meant to replace your front-of-house team. It’s there to protect their time and make sure calls don’t go unanswered during busy periods.
The right solution should understand restaurant workflows, integrate smoothly with your existing tools, and provide clear visibility into call activity. When done right, every guest gets a response and your team stays focused on service.
If you’re looking for a single platform that combines business phone service, call routing, and AI reception, Nextiva is a strong option to explore. Many restaurants start with one location, measure the results, and then roll it out more broadly.
