AI receptionist for restaurants — who should I use?
Use Maple when the receptionist must take the order into your POS. Use Hostie when the same guest also writes on Instagram. Keep a person when the job is the door.
Use Maple when the phone has to take an order or a reservation into a system you already run. Use Hostie when the same guest also writes on Instagram or Google Maps. Keep a person when the job is the door. The word receptionist hides those three jobs. Pick the one you are buying.
You are not hiring a nicer voice. You want the Friday ticket in Toast, or the Instagram thread closed, or the walk-in seated. Software on the phone does not do the last one.
Receptionist jobs at a glance
| Maple | Hostie | Human host | Start here if | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Answer every inbound call | 24/7 Voice or Pro. | Calls plus other channels. | Only when staffed. | You need after hours — Maple or Hostie. |
| Take a phone order into the POS | Pro. Public POS list. | Not on the site. | If they can leave the door. | The call has to become a ticket — Maple. |
| Book or change a table | Pro + OpenTable named. | Concierge claim. Book not named. | Yes, at the stand. | Walk-in seating — a person. Phone + OpenTable — Maple. |
| Instagram / Maps messages | Not claimed. | Named on hostie.ai. | If they have the phone in hand. | You are buying Maps and Instagram — Hostie. |
| Published price | Voice $150, or $85 yearly. Pro $350, or $220 yearly. | Not on the site. | Wage. | You need a printed software price — Maple. |
What should an AI restaurant receptionist actually do?
On the phone, ask which tasks finish without a staff member: hours and FAQs, a ticket into the POS, a reservation create, change, or cancel, and a clean handoff. Maple Voice lists hours and FAQ answers on maple.inc/pricing. Maple Pro adds phone orders into the POS and book, modify, and cancel reservations. Allergens, pickup, delivery, and wait time are not printed on that page. Loman's homepage lists the same class of tasks. Hostie adds text, email, Instagram, and Google Maps. If a vendor only says "humanlike voice," ask which of those tasks they finish without a staff member.
Who should use Maple?
A takeout-heavy or reservation-heavy room that already runs Toast, Square, Clover, SkyTab, Lightspeed, Chowbus, or another name on the integrations list. Voice-only is enough if the receptionist only answers FAQs. Pro is the receptionist that writes the ticket. Unlimited minutes, no per-minute fee, no contract.
Who should use Hostie, Loman, or Bitebuddy instead?
Hostie: guest chat on Maps and Instagram is the buying reason. Loman: you want the cuisine demo call before you talk to sales; price is not on the site. Bitebuddy: you want $1.50 per completed order instead of a flat month. Comparisons: Hostie, Loman, Bitebuddy.
When is a human still the receptionist?
When the guest is standing in front of the stand. Software on the phone does not seat a walk-in, read a room, or walk a VIP to a table. Buy AI for the line that rings during the rush and after close. Keep a person for the door.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI replace my host?
It can replace the part of the host job that is the telephone. It cannot replace the door. Shops that fire the host and keep the phone uncovered at the stand have bought the wrong half.
Which AI receptionist works after closing?
Maple, Loman, Hostie, Bitebuddy, and Certus all claim 24/7 on their live sites. Maple's audit says 19% of restaurant calls arrive after hours. That is the shift a person is least likely to cover.
Does Maple book OpenTable?
Maple names OpenTable on the integrations list. Test a create, a modify, and a cancel on your book before you cut over.