AI Calls to Check Restaurant Wait Times

Yelp’s new AI features can call restaurants to check on wait times, giving diners a way to get information before they head out. Rather than calling themselves, users can ask Yelp’s AI assistant to contact a restaurant and find out how long the wait is. The feature is designed to make it easier to plan a visit, especially when a busy dining room could mean a delay.

The AI assistant can also handle calls to businesses for other kinds of information, but checking restaurant wait times is one of the specific uses described for the new tools. Yelp has not said that every restaurant will be able to provide a wait estimate, so the usefulness of the answer may depend on the business. Still, having the assistant make the call can save users a step when they are deciding where to eat or whether to leave now.

By bringing this task into the Yelp app, the company is extending its AI features beyond search and recommendations. Diners can use the assistant to seek practical details directly from restaurants, helping them make plans with more information in hand.

Recommendations That Remember Preferences

Yelp’s AI can use information people provide about what they like to create more personalized recommendations. Instead of starting from scratch with a broad search, a user can describe preferences and ask for suggestions that fit. The AI can help narrow options based on details such as cuisine, atmosphere, dietary needs, and the kind of experience someone wants.

For example, a person looking for a restaurant can explain what they’re in the mood for and what matters to them. Yelp’s AI can then surface relevant businesses and provide information to help with the decision. The goal is to make recommendations feel more useful to the individual, rather than simply returning a general list of nearby places.

As people share preferences in their requests, the AI can use that context to tailor its responses. That can make it easier to discover a place that suits a particular occasion or taste, while keeping the search focused on what the user actually wants. The recommendations are designed to help people find businesses that better match their needs.

New AI Features in the Yelp App

Yelp is adding AI-powered tools directly to its app, bringing new ways for people to find and connect with local businesses. The features include AI-assisted restaurant calls to check wait times and an AI-powered assistant that can offer recommendations based on a person’s preferences. Together, they extend Yelp’s existing app experience with tools designed to make common local search tasks easier.

Rather than relying only on broad search terms, users can get help with practical questions and more tailored suggestions. The AI assistant can remember preferences, while the calling feature can contact restaurants to ask about current wait times. These additions are part of Yelp’s effort to use AI to help people make decisions about where to go and what services to choose.

The tools are being embedded in the Yelp app, so users can access them as part of their local discovery experience. They are intended to support people as they explore businesses and plan visits, while keeping Yelp’s listings and recommendations at the center of the process. The features focus on helping users get relevant information and suggestions without having to handle every step themselves.

What the Features Can Do

The two AI capabilities are designed to make choosing a restaurant and planning a visit easier. One can call a restaurant to check its wait time, helping people get an idea of how long they may have to wait before they go. The other can offer personalized recommendations based on a person’s preferences and remember those preferences for future suggestions.

Together, these tools address different parts of the dining decision. A wait-time check provides practical information about a restaurant at that moment, while remembered preferences can make recommendations more tailored over time. Instead of starting from scratch with each request, people can receive suggestions informed by what they have previously shared.

Both features bring AI into restaurant discovery in distinct ways: one gathers information by calling a business, and the other uses remembered preferences to personalize recommendations. They are meant to help people find options that suit them and decide when to visit, without treating every search as a one-size-fits-all choice.