Restaurant chatbots handle the repetitive stuff, taking orders, booking tables, answering “are you open? “so your staff can focus on actual service. They work 24/7 and deliver consistent responses, which matters when you’re operating multiple locations.
We’ve analyzed the top 5 restaurant chatbots, how restaurants actually use them, and what to watch out for when implementing one.
Top 5 restaurant chatbots & their key features
Vendor | No Code Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
✅ | -Automated delivery orders and reservations -Event-based contextual support -Push notification campaigns. | |
ChatBot | ✅ | -Pre-built restaurant templates -Visual menu cards -Reservation booking system |
Botpress | ❌ | -LLM-powered AI agents -POS system integration -Voice and text ordering |
ChitChatBot.ai | ✅ | -Digital waitlist management -Loyalty program enrollment -Real-time customer data collection |
Copilot.live | ✅ | -Order tracking system -Custom menu suggestion engine -Table reservation management |
Vendor | Pricing (per month) | Free Trial / Tier |
|---|---|---|
Basic: €10 per operator Professional: €17 per operator Enterprise: €25 per operator | 15-day free trial & Free Plan | |
ChatBot | -Starter: $52 -Team: $142 -Business: $424 -Enterprise: Custom | 14-day free trial |
Botpress | -Pay-as-you-go option is available. -Plus: $89 -Team: $495 -Enterprise: Custom | Free plan with limited monthly AI credit |
ChitChatBot.ai | Pro (Self-done): $14 -Premium (Done-for-you): $499 | 7-day free trial |
Copilot.live | -Growth: $39 -Business: $199 -Enterprise: Custom | 14-day free trial |
Top 5 restaurant chatbot use cases
1. Taking Orders (Dine-in, Takeout, Delivery)
Real-life example: Wendy’s FreshAI
Customers order through WhatsApp, your website, or QR codes at tables. The bot sends orders to the kitchen and estimates pickup times based on your current level of activity.
QR code ordering: Post-pandemic, many restaurants replaced physical menus with QR codes. Scan the code, browse the menu, order through the bot, and avoid waiting for servers during rushes.
Example: Wendy’s FreshAI
Wendy’s drive-thru bot uses generative AI to understand orders conversationally instead of following rigid scripts1 .
Results:
- 86% order accuracy without staff intervention
- 22 seconds faster than average drive-thru service times
- Increased average check size through upsell suggestions
2. Managing Reservations and Cancellations
Bots collect reservation details 24/7:
- Party size and date/time
- Seating preferences (booth, window, patio)
- Special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries)
- Dietary restrictions
- Expected duration
This information helps you prepare to bake a birthday cake, arrange tables appropriately, and manage customer flow during peak hours.
Example: OpenTable
OpenTable’s chatbot handles complex booking requests without phone calls2 :
- Checks real-time table availability
- Accommodates party sizes and seating requests
- Handles special occasions automatically
- Sends confirmation emails and SMS reminders
- Processes cancellations and changes instantly
- Syncs with your POS for table management
3. Introduce the menu and prices
Customers browse your menu and check prices before deciding. Regular customers see new menu items, seasonal dishes, and new cocktails without having to call.
Example: Domino’s Dom
Dom works through Facebook Messenger without requiring customers to log into Domino’s separately:3
- Interactive menu with prices
- Customization options (toppings, crust, size)
- “Easy Order” for regulars to reorder favorites instantly
- Works across Facebook Messenger, Alexa, Google Assistant, SMS
- Shows food photos and descriptions
4. Recommend dishes and drinks
Two approaches:
- Rule-based (simpler): Your chef pairs dishes with drinks. Customer orders NY steak to bot suggests red wine. No AI needed, just pre-programmed matches.
- AI-powered (smarter): Bot learns from past orders and customer preferences. Suggests items based on order history, dietary restrictions, weather (hot coffee on cold days), or current promotions.
Example: Starbucks’ My Starbucks Barista
Orders through voice or text in the mobile app. Understands natural language and accepts payment through stored cards.
Features:
- Personalized suggestions based on order history
- Seasonal menu and limited-time offer recommendations
- Dietary filter suggestions (dairy-free, low-calorie)
- Weather-based recommendations (hot drinks when cold, iced when hot)
- Complementary upsells (pastry with your coffee)
5. Employee operations support
Internal chatbots help employees during shifts not just customers. Staff ask questions and get instant answers instead of searching manuals or waiting for managers.
What internal bots handle:
- Equipment troubleshooting
- Policy clarifications
- Inventory checks
- Training material access
- Shift scheduling questions
This reduces downtime during rushes. Staff solve problems themselves instead of pulling managers away from other tasks.
Example: McDonald’s Ask Pickle
McDonald’s partnered with Google Cloud to build “Ask Pickle” for employee support. Staff ask questions in natural language during shifts.
Results:
- Less downtime, more focus on customers
- Instant answers to common operational problems
- Natural language processing for staff questions
- Identifies recurring issues to improve training
4 Best Practices for Restaurant Chatbots
1. Deploy Across Multiple Channels (Not Just Your Website)
Your website matters, but customers spend more time on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Meet them where they already are.
The most effective bots work across:
- Your website
- Facebook Messenger
- Your mobile app
- SMS
Omnichannel presence increases engagement significantly.
2. Add Voice Ordering
Voice search is growing in hospitality. Customers want to say “order a large pepperoni pizza for delivery” instead of typing or tapping through menus.
Voice-optimized bots also improve accessibility for customers with vision impairments or those multitasking.
3. Use AI for Personalization
Basic bots follow scripts. AI-powered bots remember preferences, past orders, and dietary restrictions. This creates a better experience:
- “You usually order the veggie burger. Want to try our new plant-based option?”
- “Based on your dairy-free preference, here are three desserts you’ll like.”
- “You ordered this last month and rated it 5 stars. Want it again?”
Personalization increases order values and customer satisfaction.
4. Always Offer Human Handoff
Bots handle routine requests well. Complex issues (large group reservations, dietary allergy concerns, complaints) need human judgment.
Make it easy to reach a real person:
- “Talk to a manager” button always visible
- Automatic escalation when bot can’t answer after 2-3 attempts
- Clear explanation of how to contact staff by phone
Customers get frustrated when trapped in bot loops with no escape.
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Cem's work has been cited by leading global publications including Business Insider, Forbes, Washington Post, global firms like Deloitte, HPE and NGOs like World Economic Forum and supranational organizations like European Commission. You can see more reputable companies and resources that referenced AIMultiple.
Throughout his career, Cem served as a tech consultant, tech buyer and tech entrepreneur. He advised enterprises on their technology decisions at McKinsey & Company and Altman Solon for more than a decade. He also published a McKinsey report on digitalization.
He led technology strategy and procurement of a telco while reporting to the CEO. He has also led commercial growth of deep tech company Hypatos that reached a 7 digit annual recurring revenue and a 9 digit valuation from 0 within 2 years. Cem's work in Hypatos was covered by leading technology publications like TechCrunch and Business Insider.
Cem regularly speaks at international technology conferences. He graduated from Bogazici University as a computer engineer and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.
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I think that adding a chatbot into the work of a restaurant can greatly simplify the work of a place. We were all customers, and we all would like to make orders as easy as possible, sometimes even without the participation of a restaurant employee, because we just do not want to interact with people, but just want to eat. Plus, I think that if your restaurant has a chatbot, and another neighboring one does not, then you are actually in a winning position among potential buyers or regular guests. You know, this is like “status”, especially if a chatbot was made right and easy to use.