If you’ve ever felt frustrated waiting on hold or struggled to get a reservation at a busy restaurant, there’s good news brewing in the background. AI is stepping in to smooth out the rough edges of restaurant hospitality, helping staff focus on what really matters: connecting with guests.
I recently discovered how Wayfare Tavern, a bustling eatery in San Francisco, has embraced AI to breathe new life into their daily operations. According to Andrea Boyd, their director of sales and events, AI isn’t replacing their team but acting as an intelligent assistant that takes care of those tedious, time-consuming tasks. This means the staff can go back to doing what they do best—being warm, attentive, and present with guests.
What caught my attention was how Wayfare uses an AI voice chatbot from a startup called Hosti to field phone reservations. For a modest $200 a month, the chatbot answers around 70% of phone bookings, freeing hosts to handle the moments where a human touch truly counts. The impact? Faster responses, more bookings, and a restaurant that’s busier than ever.
Because AI lets us get back to guests quicker, we’ve booked more events and seen more people through the door.
Of course, Wayfare isn’t alone in this AI embrace. OpenTable, the well-known reservations and reviews platform used by over 60,000 restaurants, is also doubling down on artificial intelligence. Beyond just managing bookings, OpenTable is teaming up with Salesforce to deploy chatbots that handle up to 75% of customer queries without transferring to human agents. This means diners get instant answers and solutions, and restaurant teams can focus on delivering genuine hospitality.
What’s especially fascinating is how OpenTable uses AI to enhance the guest experience behind the scenes. For example, their new AI concierge lets diners ask detailed questions—like whether pets are allowed or what dishes come highly recommended. Even cooler, OpenTable’s integration with ChatGPT means you can book a table mid-chat effortlessly.
These developments show how AI can be seamlessly integrated—invisible to guests but powerful in enabling staff to engage more meaningfully. The partnerships OpenTable has struck with AI companies like OpenAI and Perplexity hint at a future where restaurant technology not only streamlines operations but also deepens the connection between diners and their favorite spots.
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One question that naturally comes up is about the business side of all this. While OpenTable pays for these enterprise-level AI tools, the symbiotic relationship also helps AI providers like OpenAI gain valuable real-world applications. This sort of collaboration underscores how AI adoption is becoming a serious commercial venture, not just a novelty.
What I find most promising is the potential for AI to reduce staff burnout by offloading routine tasks, while simultaneously enhancing the guest experience. Instead of seeing AI as a cold replacement, these examples reveal it can serve as a smart backstage ally that lets human hospitality shine even brighter.
Key takeaways from AI’s role in modern restaurants
- AI-driven chatbots can handle a majority of reservation calls and customer queries, improving speed and efficiency.
- By automating repetitive tasks, staff can devote more time to personalized guest interactions, elevating the hospitality experience.
- Partnerships between restaurant platforms and AI providers are making AI adoption a practical and commercial reality, not just an experiment.
To wrap it up, the quiet integration of AI in restaurants like Wayfare Tavern and platforms like OpenTable is reshaping how we dine. It’s not about replacing the warmth of human service, but freeing it up—allowing hospitality professionals to focus on what machines can’t do: make guests feel truly welcomed and cared for.
