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Restaurant Answering Service & AI Receptionist

Frontivo.io is an AI receptionist and phone answering service for restaurants. It answers calls, website chats and texts in seconds (plus Instagram and Messenger on Growth), handles the questions your staff hear all day, like hours, menu, dietary options, parking and wait times you share, books reservations on your calendar, and collects large-party and private-event inquiries for your manager. It doesn't take payments or process orders. All-in-one plans start at $299/month (Phone Only $199/month, Website Chat Only $149/month), and every plan starts with a 14-day free trial and no credit card.

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14-day free trial · No credit card · 14-day money-back on your first payment · Keep your number by forwarding it · What restaurants say

Answered in seconds

Hi, do you have a table for six this Saturday around 7?

Let me check. Saturday at 7:00 is full, but I have 6:30 or 8:15 for six people. Would either work?

8:15 is fine. One of us is gluten-free, is that okay?

Yes. The kitchen offers gluten-free pasta and several gluten-free mains, and your server can walk you through the options. Can I have a name, mobile number and email for the reservation?

What can an AI receptionist do for a restaurant?

  • Reservations

    Books tables on your calendar by party size and time, handles changes and cancellations, and texts the guest a confirmation.

  • Menu and dietary questions

    Answers questions about the menu, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options and allergens, strictly from the information you provide.

  • Hours, location and parking

    Answers holiday hours, directions, parking and dress code, so your host can focus on the dining room.

  • Large parties and private events

    Collects the date, party size, budget and contact details for large parties, catering and private events, and alerts your manager right away.

  • Social messages

    Replies to Instagram and Messenger messages on Growth, Instagram Only or Messenger Only with the same answers.

  • Order links

    Shares your online ordering or delivery links. Frontivo.io doesn't take orders or payments itself.

  • Language support

    Answers calls in the language you choose and replies in each customer's own language in chat and texts, which helps in tourist areas and diverse neighborhoods.

Real clients

What restaurants say about Frontivo.io

“Frontivo.io has been an absolute game-changer for our business. The AI receptionist handles routine calls seamlessly, ensures we never miss a lead, and sounds remarkably natural. Setup was straightforward, and our customers love how responsive it is. Highly recommend to any business looking to streamline their customer service!”

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Every quote is from a real Frontivo.io client who agreed to be named. We never write or edit reviews.

Why restaurants can't answer the phone during service

During the dinner rush your host is seating guests, servers are running food and the phone keeps ringing with the same questions: are you open, do you have gluten-free options, can I bring a group of twelve on Saturday? Unanswered calls mean lost reservations and lost catering and event business. Answering them means a worse experience for the guests standing in front of you.

How does Frontivo.io handle a reservation call during the dinner rush?

Prices and names are examples — Frontivo.io only quotes the prices and details you give it.

  1. Caller

    Hi, do you have a table for six this Saturday around 7?

  2. AI receptionist

    Let me check. Saturday at 7:00 is full, but I have 6:30 or 8:15 for six people. Would either work?

  3. Caller

    8:15 is fine. One of us is gluten-free, is that okay?

  4. AI receptionist

    Yes. The kitchen offers gluten-free pasta and several gluten-free mains, and your server can walk you through the options. Can I have a name, mobile number and email for the reservation?

  5. Caller

    Daniel Ortiz, 555-718-3344, daniel.ortiz@example.com.

  6. AI receptionist

    You're booked for six on Saturday at 8:15 PM, Daniel. I've noted the gluten-free guest and sent you a confirmation. Street parking is free after 6 PM.

How do you set up an AI receptionist for a restaurant?

  1. 1

    Tell Frontivo.io about your restaurant: hours, menu, dietary options, reservation rules, party sizes, private events and parking — type them in or import your menu or FAQ page from your website.

  2. 2

    Set your rules — maximum party size for booking, which inquiries to flag for your manager, when to transfer to the host stand — then test every channel in the Channel Tester.

  3. 3

    Forward your restaurant line (or get a new Frontivo.io number: in seconds in the US and Canada, after a documents check in most other countries) and paste one line of code to add the chat and voice widget to your website.

What to add to your knowledge base

  • Hours and holiday hours
  • Menu highlights
  • Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options
  • Allergen information
  • Reservation policy
  • Large parties and private dining
  • Catering
  • Parking and directions

Works with the tools you already use

  • Your business phone number. Forward your existing line, or get a new number.
  • Google & Outlook Calendar. Checks live availability before it books, so slots aren't double-booked.
  • Website chat, text, Instagram, Messenger & email. One AI receptionist answers on every channel with the same knowledge (Instagram, Messenger and email are on Growth, or each on its own single-channel plan). WhatsApp is coming soon.
  • Zapier, webhooks and API. Send every new lead and booking to the other software your restaurant runs on through Zapier, Make, signed webhooks or the API (on Growth). Google Sheets and Slack or Teams alerts work on every plan.

What are missed calls costing your restaurant?

Adjust the sliders to your own numbers.

30
25%
$120

Estimated extra revenue if those callers book

$3,897/month

Phone Only plan
-$199
Net per month
$3,698

Pays for itself after 2 jobs a month.

An estimate from your own numbers, not a promise. Prices in US dollars.

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Frontivo.io vs voicemail vs an answering service for restaurants

  • Voicemail

    Cost
    Free
    Hours
    24/7
    Books on your calendar
    No
    Knows your urgent calls
    No
    Channels
    Phone only

  • Human answering service (Ruby, Smith.ai)

    Cost
    Ruby from $250/mo for 50 minutes; Smith.ai from $300/mo for 30 calls
    Hours
    24/7
    Books on your calendar
    Often (Calendly or Google Calendar)
    Knows your urgent calls
    Follows your script
    Channels
    Phone; live chat or texts with some providers

  • In-house receptionist

    Cost
    About $4,500/mo in the US (median pay $38,010/yr plus benefits)
    Hours
    Business hours
    Books on your calendar
    Yes
    Knows your urgent calls
    Yes
    Channels
    One call at a time

  • Frontivo.io

    Cost
    From $99/mo for phone; $299/mo for phone, chat and text; usage included
    Hours
    24/7
    Books on your calendar
    Yes
    Knows your urgent calls
    Yes
    Channels
    Phone, chat, text, email, Instagram & Messenger WhatsApp is coming soon.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

OptionCostHoursBooks on your calendarKnows your urgent callsChannels
VoicemailFree24/7Phone only
Human answering service (Ruby, Smith.ai)Ruby from $250/mo for 50 minutes; Smith.ai from $300/mo for 30 calls24/7Often (Calendly or Google Calendar)Follows your scriptPhone; live chat or texts with some providers
In-house receptionistAbout $4,500/mo in the US (median pay $38,010/yr plus benefits)Business hoursOne call at a time
Frontivo.ioFrom $99/mo for phone; $299/mo for phone, chat and text; usage included24/7Phone, chat, text, email, Instagram & Messenger WhatsApp is coming soon.

Sources: Ruby and Smith.ai pricing pages (checked November 10, 2026); US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Receptionists (2025 median pay) and Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (June 2026, benefits 30% of compensation). US prices from the sources above; other providers and countries vary. Frontivo.io prices are in US dollars.

For restaurants the difference that matters most is the rush: Frontivo.io answers many calls at once, so guests get answers and your host stays with the guests in front of them.

How much does an AI receptionist for a restaurant cost?

Restaurants can start on Starter ($299/month): phone, website chat and text, with 300 AI voice minutes (about 100 calls), 300 website chats and 300 AI text replies, plus live call transfer to your host stand, appointment reminders and the Leads and Customers pages. Busy restaurants that also want Instagram, Messenger and email replies choose Growth ($549/month) for every channel on sale, with 450 minutes (about 150 calls), 600 conversations and 500 text replies, plus review requests, follow-up texts and analytics. Calls and website chat work from day one; texting switches on after carrier approval for your number. Annual plans save 15%, extra usage is billed per unit or can be set to pause at your allowance, and every plan starts with a 14-day free trial with no card and no setup fee (your phone number is connected when you subscribe). Need just one channel? Phone Only is $199/month, and single-channel plans start at $99/month. Several locations or 1,500+ minutes a month? Talk to us about a custom plan. Prices in US dollars.

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FAQ

Restaurants: FAQ

Straight answers about how Frontivo.io works for restaurants.

  1. Yes. It books tables on your Google Calendar or Frontivo.io calendar using the party sizes and times you allow, and texts the guest a confirmation. Set People per time on your Table reservation service to the guests you can seat at one start time, and several parties can book that time until the seats run out; a party bigger than that comes to you as a lead instead.

Still have questions?

Pick whatever's easiest. We're happy to help.

Ask our AI receptionistInstant answers, 24/7Talk to salesTeams, locations, custom setupsEmail supportsupport@frontivo.io

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Guides for restaurants

Your AI receptionist is ready

Answer calls 24/7.

Website chat can be live in about 15 minutes. In the US and Canada, call your AI on a free test number during the trial; your own number is connected when you subscribe. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.

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Several locations, a team, or a custom setup? Talk to sales