Are AI table hosts and order takers on the way?

I’d be amazed if hospitality organisations aren’t already working up practical solutions for the use of AI in their restaurants.

Order takers and the quality of server responses have always been a weak-link in the profitable restaurant service ‘chain’. Not only are servers expensive, but even when armed with electronic order pads they are still one of the most likely causes for customer service breakdown; they can tend to walk around eyes down - seemingly immune to pleading customer stares, they are apt to forget special requests - “Oh, you wanted that without cheese?”, they might take forever to come back for another drinks order, or their demeanour can be off-putting if they’re anything but on top form.

Having grown up in the hospitality industry and then acted an executive coach for many senior leaders in the business over the years it feels obvious to me that this is coming. I recall when the first systems linking order taking with the instant placement of orders in the kitchen and at the bar came in. We thought it would be the answer to speedy service, the removal of unreadable orders (that confused already stressed out chefs), and an obvious boon to restaurant productivity. Well, on reflection there’s no doubt it was a big improvement from where things used to be, but that was decades ago. It surely now must be time for another ‘game-changer’ in the industry - and I think AI hosts might be 'it'.

I’m not talking about shifting the onus for order taking to the customer with an app or menu touch screen, that's just lazy thinking. Although a useful move forward during the pandemic, QR codes and their ilk do not address the desire to deliver outstanding service so beloved by passionate hospitality entrepreneurs. No, the next move forward needs to be a leap, not a stumble.

My minds eye can already see a different future - I can picture a fully interactive three dimensional hologram of a table host: one that appears as soon as you’re seated at an available table ready to take care of your every need - quickly, efficiently, happily, and accurately. One that recognises you if you’re a returning customer, who greets you warmly, and then takes an immediate drinks order while engaging in friendly small talk. I can see the customer talking to the attractive AI table host about whatever they want to order, ask questions about any aspect of the restaurant, and because their orders are processed instantly, they're delighted when human servers appear rapidly with the goods as if by magic!

While we may be a little behind holographic technology right now and that might not be possible for a while, we are certainly capable of fitting tables with a tablet to accommodate the personal AI host. I imagine one fixed in the middle of the table that can be oriented toward any seat, and that once activated by voice or touch acts in much the same way as my imagined futuristic holograph. It makes sense; we are all so accustomed to using video communication, AI technology is already capable of mimicking a human to the extent that creating a ‘host’ is relatively easy, and a constantly attentive host that is actually part of a table makes so much sense that it can’t be far away.

The implications are tremendous for both service standards and profitability. It’s all very well placing your order by touch screen at a fast food joint, or calling out what you want at a drive through, but quite another to have a more upmarket night out at a restaurant, bistro, or gastropub. However, the use of a table AI host will change all that. Imagine walking into a busy hostelry and instead of waiting at the door for someone to ask you if you have a reservation and then look around for somewhere to seat you, being able to instantly see for yourself where a table is available and making your own way to it. Then, after a brief chat with your ‘table host’ getting your drinks delivered in the same time it might have taken now to wait for that human to gather you at the door, find, and then lead you to a table. Unburdened by tiredness or mood your upbeat friendly table host has taken care of your every need and been on hand at your convenience, not theirs - and when you ask for the bill you simply point your card, phone, or watch at the screen and it’s done. I suppose if you need a receipt it can either be emailed to you or collected on the way out, but the key to having had outstanding service is that your meal has gone without a hitch. One of the best outocmes of this change is that you haven’t missed out on human interaction - because drinks and food have arrived at your table from a server with no distractions but to pick up and deliver perfectly prepared drinks and food, and your every request has been handled instantly by your very own most hospitable host right there at your table.

For the bottom line of the restaurant owner there is an obvious advantage - not necessarily the use of less staff, but applying them only in production and delivery without the costly, time sucking administration of order taking, customer responding, and dealing with unforeseen customer enquiries. It doesn’t matter what business you are in, the fact is that ‘admin’ is almost always a cost and not a generator of profit, whereas production and delivery are directly linked to revenue and profit. Therefore, there can be little or no doubt that the reduction of time spent doing admin in a restaurant are likely to deliver improvements in revenue and profit. Sure, it will need to be handled tastefully, the system must work without a hitch, and the whole concept must be sympathetically integrated into restaurant design, but I believe it has potential - significant potential.

At this point it’s important I own up to not having a crystal ball - having said that, with AI influencing just about everything right now something like this must be coming.

Maybe you’ll be able to say you heard it here first. I hope so!