Live Chat for Restaurants: Menu Questions, Reservations & Catering Inquiries

Restaurant phones ring constantly during service — and most of those calls are questions that could be answered instantly by a chat: your opening hours, menu items, whether you accept reservations, dietary accommodation options, and large group availability. Each call interrupts service and ties up staff. Live chat on your website handles these inquiries automatically while your team focuses on the guests in-house. Plus, unlike phone calls that disappear, chat captures contact information for every inquiry in your CRM for future marketing.

Menu and Dietary Information Assistant

Build your full menu into the chat knowledge base so customers can ask natural questions: "Do you have gluten-free options?" "What is in the jollof rice?" "Do you offer vegetarian dishes?" "What is your most popular dessert?" The AI provides instant, accurate responses with menu item details, ingredients, allergen information, and pricing. For customers with dietary restrictions, the chat can filter the entire menu to show only suitable options. This level of immediate, detailed information builds confidence and drives more reservations and orders.

Reservation Handling and Table Management

Accept reservations directly through chat: the AI collects date, time, party size, and special requests, checks availability against your Medivot Calendar, and confirms the booking. For full evenings, it offers alternative times or waitlist placement. Send automated reminders before the reservation and capture no-show and cancellation data in your CRM. This chat-based reservation system works 24/7 — customers can book at midnight for Saturday dinner without waiting for your restaurant to open.

Catering and Private Event Inquiries

Catering and private dining represent high-value opportunities. The chat qualifies these inquiries: collecting event date, guest count, occasion type, budget range, and menu preferences. It shares your catering menu and event packages, provides sample pricing, and schedules a detailed planning call with your events team. These inquiries are automatically tagged as high-value leads in your CRM for priority follow-up. The structured chat intake ensures your team has all the information needed to prepare a compelling proposal before the first call.

Delivery and Takeaway Order Support

For restaurants offering delivery and takeaway, the chat handles: "How long does delivery take to my area?" "What is your minimum order?" "Do you deliver to Ikeja?" "Can I schedule a pickup for 7 PM?" Provide instant answers from your knowledge base and connect customers to your ordering system. For issues with existing orders (late delivery, wrong items), the chat captures the complaint, initiates a resolution, and ensures the customer feels heard — all without interrupting your kitchen or delivery team during a busy service.