# AI Answering Service for Restaurants > Canonical: https://dialzara.com/industries/restaurants > Summary: AI receptionist for restaurants: answers every call during the rush, takes reservation requests and takeout orders, and answers menu questions. From $29/mo. ## AI Receptionist & Phone Answering for Restaurants Dialzara answers your restaurant’s phone during the dinner rush and after close. It takes reservation requests and takeout orders, answers questions about hours, menu and dietary options, and passes catering inquiries to your manager, so your hosts can focus on the guests in front of them. ## The problem you face every day ### Kitchen in Full Swing, Phones Unanswered During Friday dinner rush, your host is seating guests, your servers are running food, and the phone rings ten times in fifteen minutes with reservation requests, takeout orders, and "do you have gluten-free options?" calls. ### Empty Tables Despite a Ringing Phone You cringe every time the phone rings during service. Either a team member stops serving in-house guests to answer, or the call goes unanswered and a table-for-six books somewhere else. ### A Hungry Guest Ready to Dine Shouldn't Hear a Busy Signal No restaurant should lose a party of eight because the staff was too busy providing excellent service to the guests already there. ## We understand your world We get it — restaurants run on razor-thin margins and every cover counts. Your staff can't be in two places at once, and hiring a dedicated host just for phones doesn't make financial sense. Dialzara handles calls at the cost of a few entrees per month, not another salary. ### By the numbers - **24/7** — Answering, including nights and weekends - **Unlimited** — Simultaneous calls, so callers don't hit a busy signal - **$29/mo** — Starting price, with a 7-day free trial - **10** — Languages, with automatic detection ## Two paths forward ### With Dialzara - Every reservation request is captured — even during the Friday night rush - Catering inquiries are documented with event details and forwarded to your events coordinator - Your host staff focuses on greeting and seating guests, not answering phones - Dietary restriction and menu questions are answered without pulling staff off the floor - Large party reservations never slip through the cracks during busy shifts ### Without Dialzara - Large party reservations go to the restaurant that answered on the first ring - Your staff is visibly distracted by phone calls while in-house guests wait - Catering opportunities worth thousands disappear into voicemail - Online reviews mention "couldn't get through" or "put on hold during dinner" - Your revenue is capped by how many calls staff can handle during service ## Made for the Pace of Restaurant Service Reservations, takeout, catering, menu questions — Dialzara handles the call volume so your team handles the dining room. ### Reservation Booking Takes reservation details including party size, date, time, special occasions, and dietary restrictions — directly into your booking system. ### Takeout Order Handling Guides callers through your menu, captures orders with modifications, and provides pickup time estimates. ### Catering Inquiry Capture Documents event type, guest count, date, budget, and menu preferences for your catering coordinator to follow up. ### Menu & Allergy Information Answers questions about gluten-free, vegan, nut-free options and ingredient details from your menu data. ### Hours & Availability Provides accurate hours, holiday schedules, happy hour details, and wait time estimates during peak periods. ### Event & Private Dining Routes private dining and event inquiries to your events team with complete party details captured. ## Full Tables, Calm Staff, Every Call Answered ### Answer calls any time of day When you send a caller to voicemail, it doesn't send the right message. With Dialzara's AI answering service, you can be available 24/7 and give your callers a better customer experience. ### Automate routine phone calls, capture crucial information, and transfer callers to the right point of contact Answering the phone or not can make the difference between someone visiting your restaurant or not. With an AI answering service on your side, your callers never have to wait. Train your AI receptionist to manage reservations, answer questions about your menu, and handle take-out orders with ease. ### Take messages with clear summaries and transcripts Nobody wants to spend time after a long day listening to voicemails. Our AI receptionist asks the right questions, takes notes on the call, and emails or texts you an easy to read summary, as well as a full call recording and transcription for every call so you can prioritize followups. ## Your Restaurant Goes Live Before Tonight's Service Setup is faster than prepping your mise en place. Your AI host is ready by dinner. 1. **Share Your Restaurant Details** — Tell us your menu highlights, reservation policies, hours, and catering capabilities. 2. **We Build Your AI Host** — Your AI receptionist learns your menu, reservation system, and the questions guests actually ask. 3. **Connect Your Line** — Forward your restaurant phone — main line, reservation line, or catering line. 4. **Fill More Tables** — Every reservation request answered, every catering lead captured, every shift smoother. ## Restaurant Owner Questions About Dialzara ### Can Dialzara actually take reservation details correctly? Yes. It captures party size, preferred date/time, special occasions, dietary restrictions, and seating preferences. All details are forwarded to your team or booking system immediately. ### What about takeout orders — can it handle menu modifications? Dialzara walks callers through your menu and captures orders with modifications (no onions, extra sauce, etc.). Complex orders are confirmed back to the caller for accuracy before submission. ### How does it handle calls during our busiest service hours? That's exactly when Dialzara shines. It handles unlimited simultaneous calls, so every reservation request during your Friday rush gets answered — without pulling a single staff member off the floor. ### Can it answer questions about allergens and dietary options? You provide your menu data including allergen information, and Dialzara accurately answers questions about gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, and other dietary options on your menu. ### Does it work with our reservation system (OpenTable, Resy, etc.)? Dialzara captures reservation details and sends them via email or webhook. It works alongside your existing reservation platform without requiring system changes. ### Is Dialzara an answering service or an AI receptionist for restaurants? Both. Dialzara is an AI answering service that works like a virtual receptionist: it answers every call 24/7, captures the caller's details and reason for calling, books appointments where you allow it, and sends you a summary, so restaurant teams don't lose leads to voicemail. ### Can Dialzara send urgent calls for restaurants to me right away? Yes. You set the rules for what counts as urgent, and Dialzara can transfer those calls or notify you immediately, while routine calls are handled and summarized for later. ### How much does an AI answering service for restaurants cost? Dialzara plans start at $29/month (Business Lite: 60 receptionist minutes, then $0.48 per minute). Busier restaurants usually choose Business Pro ($99/month, 220 minutes) or Business Plus ($199/month, 500 minutes). Inbound plans include a 7-day free trial, monthly billing and no setup fees, and white-glove setup is included with paid plans. That is typically 85–95% less than hiring in-house reception staff. ### Does an AI receptionist replace our host? No. It takes the phone off your host’s plate. Dialzara answers the calls your team can’t get to, such as reservation requests, takeout orders and questions about hours, parking or private dining, then sends the details to your team so the host stand can stay focused on seating guests. ### Will it answer calls when the restaurant is closed? Yes. Dialzara answers 24/7, so calls that come in before opening or after close still get your hours, menu details and reservation options, and any requests are waiting for your team the next morning. ## Get started [Stop Missing Reservations](https://dialzara.com/pricing)