The phone always rings at the worst moment: mid-service, with tables waiting and a queue at the bar. Someone leaves the floor, takes a booking on a scrap of paper, and the guest in front of them waits. An AI host answers instead, every time.
Why restaurants miss calls
- Staff cannot answer while serving, so peak-time calls ring out
- The same questions — opening hours, parking, dog-friendly, children’s menu — take up time all day
- Special requests get lost between the phone and the booking system
- Calls after closing go to voicemail, and many people simply book elsewhere
What an AI host does
Takes reservations. The agent checks availability, takes party size, date and time, and can send a confirmation email. With several concurrent calls on Pro and Growing plans, Friday-night callers do not hear an engaged tone.
Answers menu questions. Upload your menus, opening hours, private hire packs and directions, and the agent answers from them.
Notes special requests. Birthdays, high chairs, accessible seating and dietary needs are captured with the booking and sent to your team.
Handles changes. Guests can move or cancel a booking without waiting for someone to pick up.
Allergens: answer from your own information
UK food businesses must be able to give customers information about the 14 major allergens in the food they serve. An AI host can help — but only if it answers from your current allergen matrix, not general knowledge. Set it up carefully:
- Keep an up-to-date allergen document in the knowledge base and refresh it whenever the menu changes
- Instruct the agent to say what the document says and nothing more
- For severe allergies, ask the agent to recommend the guest speaks to a member of staff before booking or on arrival
Booking systems
Narvin books directly into Google Calendar, and a post-call webhook can pass each reservation to other booking systems. If you already use a reservation platform, start with the AI taking the details and sending them on, and add deeper connections later.
Getting started
- Turn the AI on during service and after hours first.
- Upload menus, allergen information, opening hours and directions.
- Decide your booking rules: maximum party size, last booking time, deposits for large groups.
- Review a week of transcripts and refine.
See how Narvin works for restaurants, pubs and hotels.
