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Yelp’s AI can now take reservations over the phone, marking a major leap forward for restaurants struggling with staffing and call management. The company’s new AI tools — Yelp Host and Yelp Receptionist — are designed to simplify the reservation process, handle calls, and manage customer interactions seamlessly.
These AI-powered systems are part of Yelp’s broader strategy to help businesses operate more efficiently with less manual effort. By integrating artificial intelligence into daily operations, Yelp aims to make booking, customer service, and table management faster and more reliable.
Yelp Host is a smart AI agent built to handle calls from customers and manage restaurant tables like a seasoned host. This tool can take reservations over the phone, modify or cancel bookings, share wait times, and even note special requests.
Beyond reservations, Yelp Host can answer common customer questions, such as whether a restaurant offers vegan options or is pet-friendly. It can also send follow-up text messages with links to menus, waitlist updates, or options for pickup and delivery — creating a smooth, automated experience for both diners and restaurant staff.
Yelp first introduced the Host feature in April, and now it’s officially rolling out to restaurants. Pricing starts at $149 per month or $99 per month for businesses using Yelp Guest Manager. The company has also confirmed that more capabilities — like adding diners directly to the Yelp Waitlist — will arrive soon.
Alongside Host, Yelp is launching another tool called Yelp Receptionist, an AI assistant designed to manage incoming calls for local businesses beyond restaurants. The AI can answer questions, vet leads, provide quotes, and schedule appointments — all without human intervention.
Yelp’s Receptionist will be available initially for select “eligible” businesses starting at $99 per month. However, Yelp plans to expand access to more business categories in the coming months. Just like Host, the Receptionist AI is pre-trained on Yelp’s extensive business data, meaning it’s ready to work immediately — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — or just during peak call hours when extra support is needed.
For restaurants and service businesses struggling with limited staff, missed calls can mean lost revenue. Yelp’s new AI-powered systems aim to change that. By allowing AI to take reservations over the phone and manage other customer interactions, businesses can stay connected with customers even when human staff are unavailable.
These features also help improve customer satisfaction by reducing wait times, ensuring questions are answered promptly, and providing round-the-clock availability — all of which enhance Yelp’s reputation as a go-to platform for reliable local business connections.
Yelp’s expansion into AI-driven services reflects a growing industry trend. More companies are turning to automation to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and meet rising customer expectations. As Yelp continues to develop tools like Host and Receptionist, it’s clear the company sees AI as a vital part of the future of local business management.
By making everyday operations smarter and faster, Yelp’s AI solutions could soon become an essential part of how restaurants and small businesses communicate with customers — no matter the time or staffing levels.
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