Restaurant chatbots can be a smart investment for restaurant chains because they provide 24/7 customer service and enhance the workforce by delivering standardized services.
We compiled information about the top 5 restaurant chatbots, including their use cases, real-life examples, and best practices for implementing restaurant chatbots.
Top 5 restaurant chatbots & their key features
Top 5 restaurant chatbot use cases
1. Take orders
Restaurant bots can take orders from customers, understand their specific needs, and relay the orders to the kitchen for preparation and delivery. Restaurant chatbots can handle orders for dine-in, takeout, and home delivery via motorcycle courier.
- Takeaway services: Customers interact with chatbots on WhatsApp, restaurant websites, and social media channels. They provide information about the meals they wish to order. Then, chatbots relay the messages to the chefs and establish the pickup time depending on the kitchen’s busyness.
- Dine-in: Many restaurants switched from paper menus to QR codes after the pandemic. Users can view the restaurant’s menu by scanning the code. On these sites, several restaurants have installed chatbots referred to as waiter bots. To order food or drinks, customers can now interact with waiter bots. As a result, customers no longer need to wait for waiters and bartenders to take their orders.
Real-life example: Wendy’s FreshAI
Wendy’s FreshAI leverages generative AI to create responses and adapt dynamically, rather than adhering strictly to a limited set of rules.1 This offers a personalized and interactive experience for each customer, contrasting with traditional rule-based systems. The results from FreshAI include:
- 86% accuracy in orders without human intervention.
- Service times are 22 seconds quicker than the market average.
- The average check increased by recommending additional menu items.
2. Handle table reservations & cancellations
One of the common applications of restaurant bots is making reservations. They can engage with customers around the clock to provide and collect the following information.
- Opening and closing times of the restaurant
- Number of guests
- Reservation time
- Snack and cocktail preferences for the reservation
- Location of the table
- Purpose of the event (birthday, anniversary, etc.)
- Duration of dinner, and more.
This knowledge allows restaurants to deliver exceptional service to guests. For instance, if there is a birthday celebration, the restaurant can prepare a cake and arrange the tables appropriately to enhance the customer experience. Chatbots also assist restaurants in managing client traffic effectively.
Real-life example: OpenTable
Many restaurants are now incorporating chatbot technology into their reservation systems to manage the booking process. These chatbots can manage intricate reservation inquiries and changes around the clock. Booking with the OpenTable chatbot includes features like:2
- Real-time checking of table availability
- Accommodation for party sizes and seating preferences
- Set up for special occasions (such as birthdays and anniversaries)
- Automatic confirmation emails and SMS reminders
- Simple cancellation and modification without needing to call the restaurant
- Integration with restaurant POS systems for efficient table management
3. Introduce the menu and prices
Customers can learn about menu items and food and drink costs via chatbots. Customers can then decide whether the dishes and prices are appropriate for them.
The introduction of menus may be a useful application for restaurant regulars, as they might enjoy seeing menu modifications, such as the addition of new foods or cocktails.
Real-life example: Domino’s Dom
Dom is accessible through Facebook Messenger without needing to re-login to Domino’s. The bot is designed to collect user preferences, create personalized conversations, and enhance Domino’s social media presence.3
Features:
- Interactive menu display with pricing information.
- Menu customization options and configurations.
- “Easy Order” capability for repeat customers to quickly reorder favorites.
- Multi-channel menu access via Facebook Messenger, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and SMS.
- Visual menu presentation featuring food images and detailed descriptions.
4. Recommend dishes and drinks
Restaurant chatbots can recommend customers’ dishes and drinks to improve customer engagement. There are two main ways of doing this:
- Rule-based recommendations: There is no use of advanced NLP for this kind of recommendation. Instead of NLP-driven intent recognition, chefs identify the foods and beverages that match. Chatbots provide general food and drink recommendations according to this labeling. For instance, a chatbot can suggest red wine as an appropriate beverage if clients prefer a NY steak as their main meal.
- Recommendation via natural language: Advanced NLP skills and the use of AI are required for these more complex food and beverage recommendations. Chatbots can provide personalized suggestions based on the customer’s preferences and previous orders.
Real-life example: Starbucks’ My Starbucks Barista
The Starbucks chatbot, featured in the mobile app, seeks to enhance the ordering process and boost customer convenience. It understands natural language, allowing users to place orders through voice or text and to make payments with linked cards or gift cards. It offers:
- AI-driven personalized recommendations based on past orders and preferences
- Suggestions for seasonal menus and limited-time deals
- Recommendations tailored to dietary preferences, such as dairy-free or low-calorie options
- Drink suggestions influenced by the weather (e.g., hot beverages on chilly days, iced drinks in summer)
- Upselling of complementary items, like pastries paired with coffee orders
5. Employee operations support
Chatbots for restaurants can be utilized internally to assist employees and enhance operations, not just for customer interactions. As digital assistants, internal chatbots help staff members quickly obtain information, resolve operational issues, and maintain smooth service during peak hours.
Internal restaurant chatbots can support employees with routine operational challenges such as troubleshooting equipment issues, accessing training materials, checking inventory levels, or clarifying policies.
By providing immediate access to information that typically requires contacting management or searching through manuals, these chatbots reduce downtime and allow staff members to focus on delivering exceptional customer service.
Real-life example: McDonald’s Ask Pickle
McDonald’s, in partnership with Google Cloud, has introduced an AI-powered chatbot named “Ask Pickle” to enhance restaurant operations and assist employees. This chatbot can comprehend and respond to queries posed in natural language, enabling staff to quickly access help during their shifts. Ask Pickle provides:
- Decreased downtime, allowing staff to concentrate more on customer service.
- Immediate solutions for frequent operational problems.
- Processing of natural language queries for team members.
- Insights on recurring issues to improve training and operational strategies.
Top 4 restaurant chatbot best practices
We recommend that restaurants pay attention to the specific best practices for restaurant chatbots when deploying a chatbot.
1. Consider deploying it on multiple channels
While restaurant executives often view their websites as the primary venue for chatbots, providing an omnichannel experience can significantly enhance customer engagement. Restaurants can implement chatbots not only on their custom mobile apps but also across popular messaging platforms.
The most effective restaurant chatbots aren’t solely located on websites; they can also be found on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other widely used channels. To connect with customers where they already engage, restaurants should focus on delivering an omnichannel experience.
2. Design voice bots
The voice command feature of chatbots used in restaurants ties to the growth of voice search in the tourism and hospitality sectors. Businesses that optimize their content for mobile and websites with voice search in mind can gain more visibility while providing users with a better overall experience
3. Use AI for personalized recommendations
Interacting with chatbots can offer significant benefits for customers. However, providing visuals of the menu items, restaurant ambiance, and the customers’ tables can enhance their comfort in making decisions. Therefore, we recommend that restaurants enhance their content with images.
4. Include human hand-off
Establish straightforward channels for customers to contact human representatives when they encounter complex issues or prefer personalized assistance. When a customer needs human interaction, the chatbot guides them on the most convenient way to contact your team.
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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.