Get the latest tech news

When You Call a Restaurant, You Might Be Chatting With an AI Host

Restaurants field a high volume of phone calls from inquisitive tourists or diners running late. Increasingly, AI chatbots are picking up on the other end of the line.

All of them offer a similar service: an around-the-clock AI phone host that can answer generic questions about the restaurant’s dress code, cuisine, seating arrangements, and food allergy policies. While this particular slice of the AI pie has seen “unbelievable, crazy growth” according to Mathew Focht, CEO of the Emerging Fund, which specializes in restaurant tech, it’s not without challenges. “‘Here’s your virtual host, it will save you some money on labor,’ and at that point it made sense.” But, as Owens started analyzing the calls, he found dissatisfied customers who were trying to get a human employee on the line—and occasionally cursing at the chatbot.

Get the Android app