Client Overview

A multi-location restaurant group (dine-in + catering) struggled with high call volume, lost reservations, slow catering responses, and limited staff availability during peak hours.

Their goal:
Automate bookings, reduce staff workload, capture more customers, and digitize all communication channels using AI Voice, SMS, and Chatbots.

Challenge

1. Missed Calls = Lost Revenue

Restaurants missed 30–50% of calls during busy periods.
Customers:

• Couldn’t reach the staff
  
• Hung up before being assisted
  
• Went to competitors

2. Catering Orders Required Manual Handling

Staff spent large amounts of time:

• Gathering event details
  
• Asking repetitive questions
  
• Pricing custom menus
  
• Following up on invoices

This delayed responses and lost high-ticket catering opportunities.

3. Front-of-House Overwhelmed

Teams were juggling:

• Phone calls
  
• Walk-ins
  
• Online orders
  
• Catering inquiries
  
• Table seating
  
• Customer questions

Customer service suffered.

4. No Unified Messaging System

Communication happened across:

• Phone
  
• Email
  
• Social media
  
• Website forms

No consistency. No automation. No data insights.

Solution: IAI – Created a Restaurant AI Booking & Catering Automation System

We deployed a full AI communication layer using:

• AI Voice Receptionist (answers all calls 24/7)
  
• AI Chatbot (website + social media)
  
• SMS Automated Booking & Catering Intake
  
• Unified Dashboard (reservations, catering, transcripts, customer data)
  

AI Features Implemented

1. AI Voice Reservation Agent (24/7 Restaurant Phone Line)

AI answers every call instantly:

• Books tables
  
• Manages waitlist
  
• Modifies or cancels reservations
  
• Handles large group bookings
  
• Takes catering inquiries
  
• Answers FAQ (hours, menu, address, parking, gluten-free options, etc.)

No more missed calls during peak hours.

2. AI Catering Intake & Qualification

AI asks structured intake questions:

• Event date
  
• Guest count
  
• Budget
  
• Menu type
  
• Delivery vs pickup
  
• Alcohol service
  
• Special accommodations
  
• Dietary needs
  
• Deposit required
  
• Location/distance/travel fee

AI then:

• Creates a catering lead in the dashboard
  
• Scores and qualifies the lead
  
• Sends it to management
  
• Automates follow-up

Fast response = higher conversion.

3. AI SMS Booking System

Guests text a number to:

• Book reservations
  
• Get confirmation
  
• Request modifications
  
• Ask questions
  
• Place catering requests
  
• Receive upsell suggestions
  
• Confirm reminders

SMS has an 89% response rate — far more than phone or email.

4. AI Chatbot on Website & Social Media

Automates:

• Reservations
  
• Private event inquiries
  
• Menu questions
  
• Catering package info
  
• Hours & locations
  
• Gift card questions
  
• Order status updates
  

AI Chatbot integrates with:

• OpenTable
  
• Resy
  
• EatApp
  
• Toast
  
• Square
  
• Custom APIs

5. Manager Dashboard & Insights

Managers receive:

• Daily reservation report
  
• Catering lead list
  
• Lead scoring
  
• AI-generated insights
  
• Customer sentiment summary
  
• Missed-call prevention metrics
  
• Peak-hour analytics
  
• Text/chat conversation logs

Results

1. 42% Increase in Reservations

AI captured bookings that staff missed during:

• Lunch rush
  
• Dinner rush
  
• Staff shift changes
  
• Holidays
  
• Off-hours

**2. 3× Increase in Catering Leads

Within 30 days**

AI handled 100% of catering inquiries instantly, with full data capture and automated follow-ups.

Managers no longer chase leads.
Leads come pre-qualified.

3. 70% Reduction in Phone Time for Staff

Staff now focus on:

• Guests in person
  
• Table service
  
• Food quality
  
• Operations

AI handles:

• Calls
  
• Questions
  
• Reservations
  
• Text messages

4. 24/7 Booking Availability

AI books tables even when the restaurant is closed.

Result:

• Weekend morning reservations
  
• Late-night catering inquiries
  
• After-hours group bookings

5. Higher Customer Satisfaction

Customers praised:

• Fast answers
  
• Instant booking
  
• Helpful AI staff
  
• No waiting on hold

Customer Testimonial

“We no longer lose customers because of missed calls. AI handles everything and guests love it. The catering system alone is worth it. We’ve booked events we never would’ve captured before.”

AI Impact Summary

Area	Improvement
Missed calls	Eliminated (100%)
Reservation volume	+42%
Catering leads	+200–300%
Staff phone time	–70%
Customer response time	Instant
Staff satisfaction	Much higher
Operating cost	Reduced

Why This Works for Every Restaurant

This successful implementation showed that AI can:

• Increase revenue
  
• Improve guest experience
  
• Reduce staffing stress
  
• Capture high-value catering orders
  
• Centralize all communication
  
• Provide data that restaurants never had access to
  
  Contact ImplementAI to streamline your restaurant processes & grow your business by focusing on the core operations.