Yelp launches AI voice agent to call restaurants for wait times
Yelp’s new feature allows users to have an AI agent call restaurants to check wait times, marking a shift toward automated consumer interactions.
Key points
- Yelp introduces "Check for Me," an AI agent that calls restaurants to verify wait times for users.
- The company updates its AI assistant with OpenTable integration, preference memory, and list-building tools.
- Business owners can subscribe to Smart Lead Reply, a paid AI service for handling customer inquiries.
Yelp is launching a new feature called Check for Me that enables users to have an artificial intelligence agent call a restaurant to check wait times. According to a report by TechCrunch, this addition places Yelp alongside other personal assistants that have recently enabled users to call businesses for support and booking purposes.
The feature appears on restaurant pages within the Yelp app. Users enter their party size and phone number, prompting the AI agent to place a call on the user's behalf. After gathering information, the agent texts the results back to the user, allowing them to decide whether to visit the establishment based on current availability.
Context and Background
Yelp debuted its voice solution for restaurants and service providers last year. This new consumer-facing feature completes the equation by allowing users to initiate contact through AI. However, TechCrunch notes a potential complication: a user’s agent might speak to a restaurant’s agent, and this agent-to-agent communication could potentially break down the conversation flow.
The company is simultaneously updating its Yelp AI assistant to help users discover restaurants and services. A new integration with OpenTable allows users to book restaurants directly within the app without leaving the platform. This streamlines the process from discovery to reservation, keeping user engagement within the Yelp ecosystem.
Who Is Affected
Yelp is enhancing personalization by having its assistant remember preferences mentioned in previous chats. Users can access their chat history from the past 30 days in the app, with full history availability planned for the near future. The assistant can also set custom reminders, such as sending weekend activity suggestions every Friday.
Users can build custom lists, starting with "Been Here" and "Want to Go" categories. These lists can be filtered by location, category, and cuisine, and users can reorder items, add notes, and share them. Next month, Yelp will begin showing weekly personalized recommendations based on saved items and rankings.
For business owners, Yelp is releasing a paid product called Smart Lead Reply. This service allows an AI agent to reply to customers and engage with them to qualify leads. Business owners pay $30 per month for this service and can specify how the agent should handle conversations with customers, aiming to enhance support and business processes.
What should you do?
Users should review the privacy implications of sharing phone numbers with third-party AI agents that make outbound calls. Business owners should evaluate the cost-benefit ratio of the Smart Lead Reply service against manual lead qualification efforts. Both groups should monitor the quality of agent-to-agent interactions as this technology becomes more widespread.
What to do and how to stay safe: Yelp
- Review Yelp’s privacy policy to understand how your phone number and chat history are stored and used by AI agents.
- Monitor the accuracy of wait-time information provided by the Check for Me feature before relying on it for dining plans.
- Business owners should test the Smart Lead Reply agent with a small volume of inquiries before committing to the monthly subscription.
- Keep an eye on updates regarding full chat history availability and ensure your account settings align with your data retention preferences.
Step-by-step guide: Prompt Injection Warning Signs: How to Spot AI Manipulation
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Check for Me feature work?
Users enter their party size and phone number on a restaurant page, and an AI agent calls the restaurant to check wait times, then texts the results back.
Is there a cost for business owners to use AI features?
Yes, business owners can subscribe to Smart Lead Reply for $30 per month, which allows an AI agent to reply to and qualify customer leads.
Can I book restaurants directly through the Yelp app?
Yes, the updated Yelp AI assistant includes an OpenTable integration that allows users to book restaurants without leaving the app.
