Founder, Oxaide

Your restaurant phone rings constantly. The same questions, over and over.

"Do you have a table for 4 tonight at 7?" "What are your vegetarian options?" "Are you open on Monday?" "Can I modify my reservation?"

Meanwhile, your staff is trying to serve customers who are actually in the restaurant. Every phone call pulls them away.

This guide shows restaurant owners and F&B groups how to automate 60-70% of customer inquiries with AI—without losing the personal touch that makes hospitality special.

The Restaurant Customer Service Challenge

Restaurants face unique support challenges:

High Volume, Low Margin

Average restaurant receives 50-200+ calls per day
Each call handled by staff costs $1-3 in labor
Margins are thin—support costs hit hard

Time-Sensitive Inquiries

Reservation requests need fast response
Wait time questions require real-time data
Order issues need immediate attention

Multi-Channel Fragmentation

Phone calls
Instagram DMs (increasingly common)
WhatsApp (dominant in Asia, LATAM, Europe)
Google Business messages
Website contact forms

Staff Limitations

Front-of-house staff has dual responsibilities
No dedicated customer service team
Peak hours = worst support availability

What Restaurant AI Can Actually Handle

Tier 1: Fully Automatable (90%+ success)

Basic Information

Operating hours by day
Location and parking information
Dress code
Pet policy
Accessibility features

Menu Questions

Full menu with prices
Dietary options (vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free)
Allergen information
Daily specials (if integrated)
Kids menu availability

Reservation Basics

Available time slots (with calendar integration)
Party size limits
Reservation duration policies
Deposit requirements
Cancellation policy

Tier 2: Mostly Automatable (70-85% success)

Reservation Processing

Taking new reservation requests
Modifying existing reservations
Confirming reservations
Sending reminders

Order-Related

Takeaway order status
Delivery tracking
Order modifications (before preparation)
Reorder requests

Pre-Visit Questions

Recommendations for specific occasions
Wine/drink menu previews
Private event capabilities
Gift card purchasing

Tier 3: Human Required

Real-Time Issues

Wait time for walk-ins (requires floor visibility)
Kitchen delays (live status)
Specific table requests

Complaints

Food quality issues
Service complaints
Billing disputes

Complex Events

Custom catering quotes
Wedding receptions
Corporate event planning

Setting Up Restaurant AI Support

Step 1: Define Your Information Architecture

Before deploying AI, structure your information:

Restaurant Profile

Name: [Restaurant Name]
Cuisine: [Type]
Price Range: [$$-$$$$]
Location: [Address]
Parking: [Details]
Hours:
  - Monday: Closed
  - Tuesday-Thursday: 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
  - Friday-Saturday: 11:30 AM - 11:00 PM
  - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM (Brunch until 2 PM)

Menu Structure

Categories:
  - Appetizers: [List with prices]
  - Mains: [List with prices]
  - Desserts: [List with prices]
  - Drinks: [List with prices]

Dietary Tags:
  - Vegetarian: [Items]
  - Vegan: [Items]
  - Gluten-Free: [Items]
  - Halal: [Yes/No]
  - Nut-Free: [Items]

Policies

Reservations:
  - Advance booking: Up to 30 days
  - Party size: 1-12 (larger groups contact directly)
  - Deposit: Required for 6+ guests
  - Cancellation: 24 hours notice

Takeaway/Delivery:
  - Order lead time: 30-45 minutes
  - Delivery radius: 5km
  - Minimum order: $30
  - Delivery fee: $5 (free over $60)

Step 2: Connect Your Reservation System

For full automation, integrate with your booking platform:

Popular Integrations

OpenTable
Resy
SevenRooms
Quandoo
Yelp Reservations
Custom booking systems (via API)

What Integration Enables

Real-time availability checking
Direct booking without human intervention
Automatic confirmation messages
Modification and cancellation processing
No-show tracking

Without Integration

AI collects reservation request details
Forwards to staff for manual confirmation
Still saves time, but requires human step

Step 3: Deploy on Key Channels

Website Chat Widget Essential for capturing visitors browsing your site. They are already interested—make it easy to book.

WhatsApp Business Critical for markets where WhatsApp dominates (Singapore, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Europe). Many customers prefer messaging over calling.

Instagram DM If your restaurant has Instagram presence, this is where younger customers reach out. Food photos drive DMs asking about menu items.

Google Business Messages Captures customers searching on Google Maps—they are actively looking for restaurants nearby.

Step 4: Create Response Templates

Reservation Request

Thanks for your interest in [Restaurant Name]! 🍽️

I'd love to help you book a table. To check availability:

📅 What date?
⏰ What time?
👥 How many guests?

Or if you prefer, book directly: [Booking Link]

Menu Question

Great question! Here's our [category] selection:

[List items with prices]

All items can be found on our full menu: [Menu Link]

Any dietary requirements I should know about?

Hours/Location

We're located at [Address] 📍

Our hours:
[List by day]

Parking is available at [details].

Would you like to make a reservation?

Multi-Location Restaurant Groups

For restaurant groups or franchises, AI becomes even more valuable:

Centralized Knowledge, Local Customization

Shared Across All Locations

Brand policies
Menu categories and core items
Dietary/allergen information
Booking policies

Location-Specific

Address and hours
Local specials
Event capabilities
Specific pricing (if varies)

Unified Inbox for All Locations

All messages across all locations flow into one dashboard:

Route to appropriate location
Track response times per location
Compare performance metrics
Maintain brand consistency

Scalable Without Additional Headcount

Opening a new location? AI handles customer service from day one:

Add location profile
Connect channels
Same training, same quality

Measuring Restaurant AI Success

Key Metrics

Reservation Conversion Rate

What percentage of inquiries become bookings?
Target: 30-50% for AI-initiated conversations

Response Time

AI: Under 30 seconds
Target for humans: Under 5 minutes during operating hours

Automation Rate

Inquiries resolved without human intervention
Target: 60-70% for well-configured system

No-Show Reduction

Automated reminders reduce no-shows
Target: 20-40% reduction from baseline

Customer Satisfaction

Post-interaction survey
Target: 4.0+ on 5-point scale

Revenue Attribution

Track how AI-initiated conversations lead to bookings:

"How did you hear about us?" tracking
Reservation source tagging
Revenue per channel analysis

Common Restaurant AI Scenarios

Scenario 1: Weekend Reservation Request

Customer (Instagram DM, Friday afternoon): "Hey! Do you have anything available for 4 people tomorrow night around 7-8pm?"

AI Response: "Hi! Let me check Saturday availability for 4 guests.

I found these openings: • 6:30 PM ✓ • 7:00 PM ✓ • 8:30 PM ✓

The 7:00 PM slot is popular and fills fast. Would you like me to book one of these for you? Just need a name and phone number to confirm."

Customer: "7pm please! Name is Sarah, phone is 91234567"

AI Response: "Perfect! ✅ I've booked a table for 4 at 7:00 PM on Saturday, December 7th under Sarah (9123-4567).

You'll receive a confirmation message shortly. If anything changes, just message us here at least 24 hours in advance.

See you Saturday! 🍽️"

Scenario 2: Dietary Inquiry

Customer (WhatsApp): "Hi, my son has a severe nut allergy. What can he safely eat at your restaurant?"

AI Response: "Thanks for letting us know—we take allergies seriously.

These dishes are prepared nut-free: • Grilled Salmon with Vegetables • Margherita Pizza • Spaghetti Carbonara • Caesar Salad (request without croutons) • Kids Chicken Tenders & Fries

Our kitchen does handle nuts, so we recommend informing your server about the severity when you arrive, and they'll ensure extra precautions.

Would you like to make a reservation? I can add an allergy note to the booking."

Scenario 3: Event Inquiry

Customer (Website): "I'm planning my wife's 40th birthday dinner for about 20 people. Can you accommodate? Looking at a Saturday in February."

AI Response: "Happy early birthday to your wife! 🎂

For a party of 20, we'd recommend our private dining room. Here's what's included:

• Private space for up to 24 guests • Customizable set menu ($75-120 per person) • Dedicated server • Decorations welcome (you provide)

Saturday February dates are booking fast for private events.

I'll connect you with our events team who can discuss menu options and check availability. Can I get your email address, and they'll reach out within 24 hours?"

AI Action: Escalates to human with full context captured.

Advanced: Integration Examples

Integration with POS (Point of Sale)

When connected to your POS:

Real-time menu availability (86'd items hidden)
Price updates automatic
Specials pushed to AI instantly

Integration with Waitlist Systems

For walk-in focused restaurants:

"What's the current wait time?" answered in real-time
Remote waitlist joining via chat
SMS notifications when table ready

Integration with Delivery Platforms

For delivery-heavy operations:

Order status from Uber Eats, DoorDash, etc.
Complaint routing to appropriate platform
Cross-platform order history

The Hospitality Balance

AI should enhance hospitality, not replace it.

What AI Should Do

Answer repetitive questions instantly
Process routine reservations
Handle after-hours inquiries
Capture lead information for follow-up

What Humans Should Do

Greet guests personally in-restaurant
Handle complaints with genuine empathy
Make special occasions memorable
Build regular customer relationships

The Handoff

When AI escalates, it should provide full context:

"Transferring to our team. Here's what I know:

Guest: Sarah, party of 4, Saturday 7 PM booking
Special request: Nut allergy for child
Question: Asked about birthday cake options
Sentiment: Excited, planning celebration"

Humans pick up with full picture, no repetition required.

Getting Started

Week 1: Foundation

Choose platform (Oxaide, others)
Upload menu and basic info
Deploy on website

Week 2: Channels

Connect Instagram DM
Set up WhatsApp (if applicable)
Configure Google Business Messages

Week 3: Integration

Connect reservation system
Test end-to-end booking flow
Train staff on escalation handling

Week 4: Optimization

Review AI conversations
Refine responses
Add missing information

Ongoing

Update for seasonal menus
Add special event information
Monitor metrics weekly

Oxaide for Restaurants

Oxaide works well for restaurants because:

WhatsApp + Instagram native: Where restaurant customers actually message
Multi-location support: One platform for all branches
Webhook integration: Connect to any reservation system
Multilingual: Essential for tourist-heavy locations
Flat pricing: Predictable costs regardless of inquiry volume

Try free for 14 days. Connect your Instagram, upload your menu, and see how AI handles real customer questions.

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