Quick Answer
AI phone answering picks up restaurant calls during service: reservations, hours, wait times, directions and catering or large-party inquiries. Slang.ai is the restaurant specialist, with reservation-system integrations, from $399 per location. Self-serve options start around $49 a month. Sockly fits restaurants that want catering and party calls captured and sent to a manager, $997 a month.
Most restaurant calls ask the same five things, and they arrive during the rush, when nobody can pick up. Every unanswered catering or large-party call is real money walking to the place down the street. AI answering handles the routine calls and makes sure the big ones reach a person fast.
What it should handle
The calls worth automating, in the order they usually come:
- Hours, location, parking, wait times and whether you take walk-ins.
- Reservations: date, time, party size, name and number.
- Catering and large parties: date, headcount, budget and contact, sent straight to a manager.
- Takeout questions and pointing callers to your online ordering link.
Reservation systems decide the shortlist
If your reservations live in a system like OpenTable or SevenRooms, Slang.ai is built for that and lists those integrations. Sockly doesn't connect to restaurant reservation systems. It books onto Google Calendar or Outlook, or sends each reservation and catering request to your phone with every detail, which suits independent restaurants, caterers and venues that run their book by hand.
Where Sockly fits
Catering, private events and large-party calls, where one missed call is a four-figure order. Sockly answers in your restaurant's name, gets the details, and texts a manager right away. It's set up for you and live this week, $997 a month for up to 500 calls, $0 setup.
AI phone answering for restaurants, published prices checked November 10, 2026
| Service | Built for | Cheapest published plan | Around 500 calls a month | Billed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dialzara | AI, self-serve | $29/mo for 60 minutes | $524/mo ($349 for 1,000 min + 500 min at $0.35) | Per minute |
| Upfirst | AI, self-serve | $24.95/mo for 30 calls | $299/mo (Scale plan, 600 calls) | Per call |
| Rosie | AI, self-serve | $49/mo for 250 minutes | $299/mo (Growth plan, 2,000 minutes) | Per minute, in plan buckets |
| Marlie | AI, self-serve | $49/mo for 250 minutes | $349/mo ($199 for 1,000 min + 500 min at $0.30) | Per minute |
| Slang.ai | AI for restaurants, set up with you | From $399 per location (period not stated) | Not published (quote) | Quote, per location |
| Sockly | AI front office, set up for you | $997/mo for up to 500 calls, $0 setup | $997/mo (up to 500 calls; calls keep being answered past that, no overage fee) | Per call, never per minute |
Restaurant pages found on slang.ai, dialzara.com, marlie.ai, heyrosie.com and upfirst.ai; prices from each vendor's own pricing page, checked November 10, 2026. Slang.ai's page doesn't say whether $399 is monthly. Per-minute plans assume about 3 minutes a call. Confirm on their site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can AI take restaurant reservations by phone?
Yes. Slang.ai connects to reservation systems like OpenTable and SevenRooms. Self-serve tools and Sockly take the date, time, party size and contact on the call; Sockly books onto Google Calendar or Outlook or sends the request to you.
How much does AI phone answering for a restaurant cost?
Self-serve options start at $24.95 to $49 a month. Slang.ai starts at $399 per location. Sockly is $997 a month for up to 500 calls, set up for you.
Can it take catering orders?
It can take every detail of a catering or large-party inquiry and send it to a manager within a minute, so someone calls back while the customer is still deciding.
Can I hear it answer as my restaurant?
Yes. Call 470-280-8910 and say your business name to hear Sockly answer as you.
Call 470-280-8910 and say your business name to hear Sockly answer as you. Ask it about a party of 20 next Friday.
Ready to Never Miss Another Call?
Live on your number this week. $997/month for up to 500 calls, $0 setup, 30-day money-back guarantee.
Get it on your numberOr hear it first: call 470-280-8910 and say your business name.
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Published: November 10, 2026
Last Updated: November 10, 2026