AI phone answering for restaurants that works through the rush
On a busy Friday night nobody has time for the phone. The agent takes the booking, checks availability in the calendar and sends a WhatsApp confirmation.
Nella's Kitchen
AI assistant · with Paul Fontaine
AI assistant Nella's Kitchen, this is the virtual assistant. Would you like to book a table?
Yes, Saturday at 8:30 pm for six, please. One of us is coeliac.
AI assistant Saturday at 8:30 for six is free. I'll note the coeliac guest so the team can confirm gluten-free options.
Great, under Fontaine.
WhatsApp confirmation
Nella's Kitchen
Business account
Hi Paul, your table for 6 at Nella's Kitchen is confirmed for Saturday at 8:30 pm. Coeliac guest noted. Reply here if anything changes.
15:42
The phone rings just as the dining room fills up
- 01
Calls in the middle of service
Between plates, someone has to run to the phone with full hands and a room waiting. Often the call simply goes unanswered.
- 02
Bookings scribbled in a hurry
A misspelt name, the wrong time, covers jotted in a paper diary. Then eight people turn up for a table for four.
- 03
Empty tables from no-shows
Without a confirmation or a reminder, people who booked days ago forget. The table sits empty on the very night you turned others away.
What AI does for your restaurant
It looks after the phone from morning to late evening with your restaurant's information, so you can stay focused on the guests at their tables.
Tables in the built-in calendar
Set your time slots and availability, and the agent books in Replicer's calendar, which you can keep in sync with Google Calendar.
Menu and allergens from your files
It reads the menu and allergen chart you upload and relays them to callers. For serious allergies it always asks them to speak to your staff.
WhatsApp confirmation and reminder
Guests get a confirmation as soon as they book and a reminder a few hours before. If they need to cancel, they reply and you see it in the inbox.
Groups and events to the right person
Work dinners, birthdays, private room: the agent takes the date, headcount and budget, then transfers the call or schedules a callback.
Hours and closures kept current
Weekly closing day, summer holidays, special openings over Christmas: update the text once and the agent tells everyone who calls.
Tourists calling in other languages
In city centres and seaside towns, add an agent in German, French or Spanish for visitors who want to book.
WhatsApp cancellations, handled for you
When a guest replies to a confirmation to cancel, AI recognises it, emails the floor team and replies to the guest, so the table can be reassigned in time.
- 1
Set up your sittings
Define lunch and dinner sittings in the built-in calendar, along with the times you accept bookings.
- 2
Upload your menu and details
Menu, allergen chart, parking, accessibility, dogs: a PDF or a link to your website is enough.
- 3
Turn on call forwarding
Forward the calls you don't pick up to the agent, or every call during service. It takes care of the rest.
Restaurants
Trigger
WhatsApp message received
Reply to a booking confirmation
Step 1
Understand the request
Cancellation, new time or other question
Step 2
Is it a cancellation?
Other requests stay in the inbox
Step 3
Alert the floor team
Email with name, date and covers
Step 4
Reply to the guest
Free text: thanks, cancellation received
Frequently asked questions
How does AI phone answering work for a restaurant?
Guests call your number and the agent answers, asking for the day, time, party size and any requests. If the calendar has availability, it books the table and the guest gets a WhatsApp confirmation. If not, it suggests another time.
Can the AI give allergen information?
It can relay what's written in the menu and allergen chart you upload, but it doesn't replace a conversation with your staff. We recommend instructing it to always note allergies and intolerances on the booking and to invite guests to mention them on arrival.
Does it connect to online restaurant booking platforms?
There are no direct integrations with restaurant booking platforms or reservation software. The agent uses Replicer's calendar, which syncs with Google Calendar. If your system accepts external data, you can send bookings to it via webhook.
Can I use it only when we're busy or closed?
Yes. You can forward only the calls you don't answer, or every call during service and closing hours. You pick up when you have time and the agent covers the rest.
How much does AI phone answering for restaurants cost?
You pay in credits based on how much you use it: calls handled, WhatsApp messages, SMS. A small local spot has different needs from a busy city-centre restaurant, which is why the pricing page offers several plans.
The phone gets answered, you run the room
We'll set up your hours, sittings and menu together. Then you call your own restaurant and hear how the agent answers.
Guided setup · Human support when you need it