The phone answered on the second ring, mid-service.
Nobody can take a reservation call with a full pass. The AI receptionist takes the booking, checks the allergy, confirms by text and never puts anyone on hold. WhatsApp and Instagram messages get the same treatment.
every call answered, during service and after close
WhatsApp and Instagram replies with real availability
reminder the morning of, one-tap cancel re-lets the table
asked every time, with your Google link
These are the service targets we build and test against, not industry averages. Where we quote market data, the source is named and graded.
Where the time goes, and what takes it back
- AI receptionistAnswers on the second ring, 24/7. Checks covers in your booking system (or a sheet), books the table, notes allergies and pushchairs, texts a confirmation. Transfers or takes a message for anything else.
- WhatsApp and Instagram repliesTables, times, allergens, hours, parking, dogs. Answered from your menu and availability, booked and confirmed.
- No-show remindersA message the morning of the booking with a one-tap cancel. Cancelled tables go back on sale.
- Large parties and private hireNever automated. Taken as an enquiry with the details, sent to the manager with a draft quote from your price list.
- Review requestsThe next morning, with your Google or Tripadvisor link.
- Weekly summaryCovers, no-shows, most-asked questions and missed calls in one message on Monday morning.
Example data. Type a question a customer would ask.
What a finished workflow looks like
Press play. This is the phone one, because it is the hardest to picture: answered in two seconds, facts looked up in your system, booking written back, confirmation sent, summary to you. Every workflow we build has that same shape, whether it runs on a call, a message or a schedule.
Voice is optional and most clients start without it. Your number stays yours; forward on no-answer, out of hours, or all calls, and calls are billed at cost, roughly 10–15p a minute.
Does it work with our booking system (OpenTable, ResDiary, SevenRooms, Quandoo)?
Where the system has an API or email-in, yes. Where it doesn't, it books into a shared sheet or your Google Calendar and the team confirms in the system. We'll tell you which on the first call; the full list is on the integrations page.
Will guests know they're talking to an AI?
It says it's the booking line and behaves like a good receptionist. If a guest asks, it's honest, and it transfers to a person whenever asked.
What does the phone line cost to run?
Calls are billed at cost, roughly 10–15p a minute. A typical neighbourhood restaurant spends £20–£40 a month on call minutes.
Can it handle allergies safely?
It reads from your allergen list, notes what the guest says on the booking, and never gives an assurance that isn't in your data. Anything ambiguous is flagged to the kitchen.
Next stepTwenty minutes on the phone. Then a straight answer.
Tell us what you keep doing by hand. We'll tell you which workflow pays back first, what it costs, and whether it's worth doing at all. If it isn't, we say so.