AI for Restaurants: How Automation is Transforming the Industry in 2025

Every year has its big tech trends. Cryptocurrency, NFTs, virtual reality—all have had their time in the spotlight over the last few years, with varying degrees of staying power and relevance. 2023 was no different, with Microsoft dubbing it the ‘Year of AI’ after the meteoric rise of AI-powered platforms and tools led to industry leaders like ChatGPT and OpenAI becoming household names by the end of the year. 

But is AI here to stay? And does it have any tangible, practical applications in the restaurant and hospitality sector? 

Well, the automation revolution in restaurants began long before 2023. In fact, a 2021 survey of over 2,000 restaurants revealed that 50% of them were planning to implement automation tech into their operations and management.  

In the UK, rising costs of food and a global labour shortage have been affecting the hospitality sector for several years, making AI-powered tech a lifeline for many restaurants striving to do more with less. Whether it’s automating admin, managing reservations, or predicting weekly bookings, it’s clear that businesses are increasingly benefitting from incorporating AI in restaurant industry settings. 
 

AI for restaurant inventory and booking systems 

When we talk about AI in restaurants, we’re not talking about burger-flipping robots or mechanical waiters. In 2024, the use of AI tools is usually unnoticeable to diners, instead working in the background to streamline complex parts of the restaurant management process.  

Understanding customer demand and managing inventory are two of the most important factors in running a successful restaurant. Balancing the need to avoid excess stock while keeping an extensive menu fully available is a tough challenge, often requiring managers to spend valuable time forecasting weekly covers and estimating monthly revenue.  

Food data analytics services like TheFork’s statistics platform can provide up to 15 months of historical reservations data for your restaurant, helping you uncover weekly patterns and occupancy rates. Meanwhile, AI restaurant inventory management tools like Intellify use historical sales data to predict customer demand with impressive accuracy, reducing over-purchasing without compromising on menu availability. 

Similarly, restaurants can automate large parts of their digital customer interactions—including taking reservations, managing bookings during busy periods, and proactively identifying opportunities for promotions during quieter periods. TheFork offers simple promotional management within its booking platform, including tailored offers and suggested discounts to drive additional covers.  

By eliminating this administrative burden, staff and managers can cut down on hundreds of hours of work per month, reducing labour costs and allowing employees to focus on what they do best—providing an unforgettable dining experience. 
 

AI for Enhanced Customer Service in Restaurants 

Ever consider what secrets your restaurant’s data might be hiding? AI-powered analytics gives you the inside scoop with minimal effort. From wait times to customer preferences, AI can dive deep into your restaurant’s performance and turn raw data into actionable insights that’ll help you run a tighter ship.  

AI restaurant management tools can help you identify your busiest nights, fine-tune your menu to match customer favourites, or even predict when you’ll need extra staff on deck. Whether it's uncovering guest favourites or figuring out that Wednesdays are the new Fridays, AI can help you make smarter, data-driven decisions when it comes to your business.  

There are plenty of tools that can help you maximise the potential of your data to improve customer service. Examples include ZenDesk AI, which can manage reservations, answer frequently asked questions, and provide support across multiple channels, including email, chat, and social media, and AI-powered chatbots like Tidio and LiveChat which can manage booking requests 24/7, ensuring no reservation slips through the cracks. 

How ChatGPT is Changing Restaurant Management 

Heading into 2024, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is the most well-known and widely used AI tool. It’s often seen as a copywriting machine, but it can be harnessed by restaurant managers to support a variety of tasks.  

As a research assistant, ChatGPT can collate and summarise a huge amount of information online, allowing for faster discovery of restaurant and dining trends, industry news, and new ways of working. For larger restaurant groups that receive hundreds of reviews per week, ChatGPT can quickly read and provide a summary of the most frequent comments and feedback, saving time and effort when assessing your restaurants’ experience and performance amongst diners. 

ChatGPT is also an effective strategic partner, able to advise on business decisions and even create entire marketing strategies from just a few prompts. However, OpenAI does provide a disclaimer regarding ChatGPT’s accuracy, as the tool can sometimes misinterpret facts or overlook important details. That said, when used as a tool for ideation, brainstorming, and analysing large volumes of information, it can quickly become a vital part of your day-to-day management toolkit. 

AI-Powered Analytics for Restaurant Performance 

Leveraging AI-powered analytics can transform how restaurants understand and optimise their performance. By analysing data such as wait times, customer preferences, and purchasing trends, AI can provide valuable insights that help you fine-tune your operations.  

For instance, AI tools can examine historical data to predict busy periods, enabling better staff scheduling and reducing wait times. It can also identify top-selling dishes and customer favourites, guiding menu adjustments to boost profitability.  

Platforms like TheFork Manager offer analytics that reveal patterns in reservations and occupancy rates, while tools like ClearCOGS use past sales data to forecast demand, reducing waste and maximising inventory efficiency.  

AI Tools for Personalised Marketing in the Restaurant Industry   

AI is revolutionising personalised marketing in the restaurant industry by leveraging customer demographic and behavioural data to craft tailored campaigns that target the right people.  

With AI, you can send targeted promotional materials that align with your guests’ dining habits or offer exclusive discounts on their favourite dishes. Established tools like Mailchimp and HubSpot use AI to analyse customer data, enabling restaurants to create personalised email marketing campaigns that drive higher engagement. Platforms such as AdRoll specialise in remarketing, utilising AI to reach customers who have previously visited your website but dropped off somewhere along the line, creating tailored ads that entice them to return.  

AI in Restaurant Staffing and Scheduling 

AI is transforming restaurant staffing by crunching all those tricky numbers for you—from last year's Valentine's Day rush to that unexpected quiet spell during the football finals.  

By analysing historical data, booking patterns, and even local events, AI tools can craft schedules that ensure you're never caught short-staffed during the Saturday dinner rush or paying for idle hands during quiet Monday afternoons. By streamlining staff management, these AI solutions not only save valuable time but also improve overall operational efficiency, allowing your team to focus on delivering a seamless dining experience. 

The Human Touch 

Ultimately, AI can only do so much. It can’t replace the perfectionism and creativity of your chefs, the charisma of your waitstaff, or the problem-solving and leadership skills of a good restaurant manager. However, as a tool to lighten the workload, AI can free up valuable time and resources, allowing you to focus on what truly matters—building genuine connections with your guests and delivering an unforgettable dining experience. 

Ready to elevate your restaurant’s efficiency? With TheFork Manager, you can streamline everything from reservations and staffing to promotional campaigns, letting us handle the logistics while you focus on delighting your guests. With the right combination of AI restaurant management solutions in your toolkit, you can improve everything from marketing and performance to staffing and scheduling.