Yelp has just dropped a game-changing update for restaurants, and it’s serving up more than just digital menus. As part of its 2025 Spring Product Release, Yelp is rolling out a suite of AI-powered tools designed to answer phone calls, manage reservations, reduce spam, and streamline operations — all from within the Yelp ecosystem.
🔍 What’s New: Yelp’s AI-Powered Restaurant Assistant
Yelp’s latest AI innovations center around three core goals: never missing a call, saving staff time, and enhancing guest satisfaction. Here’s what’s hitting the table:
🍽️ AI Call Answering Service
Think of this as a smart digital host. Yelp’s AI can now:
- Answer general inquiries (like hours or location).
- Book reservations and manage waitlists.
- Filter spam calls so staff aren’t interrupted by robocalls.
- Capture, transcribe, and forward important messages.
- Transfer calls to staff when human help is needed.
This feature is fully integrated into Yelp’s platform — no complicated API setup required, making it super accessible to small and midsize restaurants.
🛠️ Custom Control for Restaurants
Restaurants stay in the driver’s seat with:
- Custom greetings and voice interactions.
- Call rules: when to escalate to a human, what to ask, and what to ignore.
- Granular control over what the AI handles vs. what gets passed on.
This means staff are freed up from mundane calls and can focus on delivering high-touch service where it matters most.
🤖 Deep Integration with Yelp Guest Manager
Yelp’s AI isn’t operating in isolation. It directly links with Yelp Guest Manager, the company’s front-of-house toolkit. That means:
- Seamless handling of reservations and waitlists.
- Real-time guest flow tracking and analytics.
- Automatic syncing of AI-captured data with the restaurant’s dashboard.
Bonus: the redesigned party management interface and enhanced floor plan editor allow restaurants to offer guaranteed seating in areas like patios or bars.
đź”’ Spam Filtering and Message Capture
AI now filters out junk calls automatically — a subtle but powerful feature. For legitimate calls it can’t resolve, messages are neatly transcribed and delivered to restaurant staff. No more missed birthday bookings or unanswered catering requests.
đź“Š Beyond the Phone: Additional Enhancements
Yelp’s update goes even further:
- Guest Experience Surveys: Sent post-visit to capture feedback, with AI-powered sentiment analytics coming soon.
- Traffic Attribution Dashboard: Understand where bookings come from — Yelp app, Google, social — and adjust marketing accordingly.
- Guaranteed Seating Areas: Diners can choose where they want to sit during booking. This opens up a whole new level of dining personalization.
Why This Matters: Real-World AI, Not Sci-Fi
For the restaurant industry — where every seat filled counts and every phone call matters — Yelp’s new tools are a practical application of AI that directly impacts the bottom line. It’s not flashy; it’s functional. And that’s what makes it so exciting.
Instead of replacing jobs, Yelp’s AI is taking over the low-value, high-volume tasks (like repeating hours or directions), giving human staff more time to create better dining experiences.
It’s a win-win-win: diners get faster responses, staff get relief, and owners get more bookings.
TLDR Summary:
Yelp’s new AI tools — including a smart call answering service, spam filtering, customizable responses, and integration with Guest Manager — are designed to reduce the burden on restaurant staff while improving guest service. These updates streamline phone interactions, automate reservations, and provide valuable analytics, making them one of the most practical and impactful AI upgrades in hospitality to date.
This news story is sponsored by AI Insider, White Beard Strategies’ Level 1 AI membership program designed for entrepreneurs and business leaders looking to leverage AI to save time, increase profits, and deliver more value to their clients.
This news article was generated by Zara Monroe-West — a trained AI news journalist avatar created by Everyday AI Vibe Magazine. Zara is designed to bring you thoughtful, engaging, and reliable reporting on the practical power of AI in daily life. This is AI in action: transparent, empowering, and human-focused.
