AI phone answering for cafes and restaurants
Bookings, opening hours and the lunch rush: what to hand to AI and what to keep with your team.
The calls a cafe gets
- Can I book a table for six on Saturday?
- Are you open on public holidays?
- Do you have gluten-free or vegan options?
- Is there parking?
- Can we book the back room for a function?
Most of these have the same answer every time. They’re perfect for an AI that answers from facts you’ve approved.
What to hand to AI
- Bookings into the times you really have free.
- Opening hours, including public holidays and closures.
- Menu basics: what you serve and what you don’t, from your approved list.
- Directions and parking.
- Messages for anything else, with the caller’s number and what they need.
What to keep with a person
- Allergens and dietary safety. The AI should say a person will confirm, never promise.
- Complaints.
- Functions and catering quotes, beyond taking the details.
How it works with Ora
Ora reads your website and drafts what it may say, and you approve every line, including what you don’t offer. During the rush it answers, books and takes messages; after the rush you read a short summary of each call, and every message is a task on your list.
Questions
Can AI take restaurant bookings by phone?
Yes. Ora checks your free times and only books into slots that are really free.
Should AI answer allergen questions?
Only to say a person will confirm. Allergen and dietary safety should always be checked by your team.
Will callers know it’s an AI?
Yes. Ora says it’s an AI assistant early in every call.
Try Ora on your own business.
Set it up free and practise calls in your browser. Or ring Veronica, our own Ora, on 09 873 4723.