AI Tools for Food & Restaurants
We tested every AI tool worth considering for restaurants, cafés, food trucks, catering companies, and bars. Here are the ones that actually cut food costs and fill more seats.
The restaurant industry’s leading platform. POS, online ordering, kitchen display, payroll, and marketing in one system. AI optimizes menu layout, predicts busy periods, and automates inventory tracking.
Restaurant scheduling built around labor compliance. AI predicts staffing needs based on sales forecasts, auto-fills shifts when someone calls out, and keeps you under budget with real-time labor cost tracking.
The most recognized reservation platform. AI optimizes table assignments, predicts no-shows, and manages waitlists. Your restaurant gets exposure to millions of diners searching the OpenTable network.
Online Ordering & Delivery Tools
Take orders directly from your website and keep 100% of the revenue. These tools handle the online menu, payments, and delivery logistics without the third-party commission fees.
The restaurant industry’s leading platform. POS, online ordering, kitchen display, payroll, and marketing in one system. AI optimizes menu layout, predicts busy periods, and automates inventory tracking.
Commission-free online ordering for restaurants. Keep 100% of your revenue unlike DoorDash or Uber Eats. AI-powered marketing brings repeat orders, and your own branded app puts your restaurant on customers’ home screens.
Free online ordering that syncs with Square POS. Customers order from your website for pickup or delivery. Menu updates sync automatically, and you get a simple delivery management dashboard.
Ordering decision: Toast includes ordering with POS, ChowNow is commission-free. Here’s how they compare for independent restaurants.
Toast vs ChowNow →POS & Kitchen Management Tools
Speed up service and keep the kitchen organized. These POS systems handle orders, payments, and kitchen communication so nothing gets lost during the rush.
The restaurant industry’s leading platform. POS, online ordering, kitchen display, payroll, and marketing in one system. AI optimizes menu layout, predicts busy periods, and automates inventory tracking.
Restaurant POS with table management, kitchen tickets, and menu management. Free plan covers the basics. AI tracks your best and worst sellers, and coursing features keep the kitchen organized during rushes.
Advanced restaurant POS with floor plan management, kitchen display system, and real-time menu analytics. AI identifies high-margin items and suggests menu placement strategies to boost average ticket size.
Reservation & Table Management Tools
Fill every seat and manage walk-ins without the chaos. AI predicts no-shows, optimizes table assignments, and keeps wait times accurate so guests aren’t left wondering.
The most recognized reservation platform. AI optimizes table assignments, predicts no-shows, and manages waitlists. Your restaurant gets exposure to millions of diners searching the OpenTable network.
Premium reservation system favored by high-end restaurants. AI-powered table management, guest profiles with dining preferences, and CRM features that help you deliver personalized service to regulars.
Waitlist and reservation management powered by Yelp’s massive consumer network. Guests join your waitlist from Yelp, Google, or your website. AI predicts wait times accurately and sends automated text updates.
Menu & Pricing Optimization Tools
Know your actual food cost per dish and price for profit. AI tracks ingredient prices, flags cost spikes, and shows you which menu items make money and which ones don’t.
Restaurant inventory and food cost management. AI tracks ingredient costs in real time, alerts you when food costs spike, auto-generates purchase orders, and calculates actual vs. theoretical food cost per dish.
Streamline ordering from your suppliers. AI tracks purchase patterns, compares vendor pricing, and automates reorders when stock runs low. Consolidates all supplier communication in one platform.
AI-powered invoice processing and food cost analytics (now part of Toast). Snap a photo of supplier invoices and costs are automatically digitized, tracked, and compared against budget. Catches price hikes instantly.
Marketing & Social Media Tools
Keep your restaurant top of mind without spending all day on social media. AI creates posts, sends targeted emails, and turns one-time diners into regulars.
Create professional social media posts, before/after graphics, and flyers in minutes. AI suggests layouts, writes captions, and resizes for every platform. No design skills needed.
Restaurant marketing platform with AI-powered website, interactive menus, and automated social media posting. Guests can order directly from your menu, and AI writes personalized email campaigns based on dining history.
Email marketing with AI that writes subject lines, optimizes send times, and segments your audience. Free for up to 500 contacts. Automations handle welcome sequences, newsletters, and re-engagement.
Staffing & Scheduling Tools
Schedule smarter, not longer. AI predicts how many staff you need based on sales forecasts, handles shift swaps automatically, and keeps labor costs under control.
Restaurant scheduling built around labor compliance. AI predicts staffing needs based on sales forecasts, auto-fills shifts when someone calls out, and keeps you under budget with real-time labor cost tracking.
Free employee scheduling, time tracking, and team communication. AI optimizes schedules based on availability and labor targets. Includes hiring tools, onboarding checklists, and basic HR features.
Simple shift scheduling and time clock for hourly teams. Employees swap shifts from their phones, managers approve with one tap, and AI flags overtime before it happens. Clean interface with minimal learning curve.
Scheduling showdown: 7shifts is restaurant-specific, Homebase is free. Here’s which one fits your operation.
7shifts vs Homebase →New to AI? Here's where to start.
You don't need to adopt everything at once. Most small businesses see the biggest impact from just one or two tools. Here's our recommended approach.
Read the Full Guide →- 1
Get your own online ordering
Third-party apps take 15-30% of every order. ChowNow or Square Online let customers order directly from you at a flat monthly cost.
- 2
Know your food costs
If you don’t know your actual cost per dish, you’re guessing on pricing. MarketMan tracks ingredient costs in real time and alerts you when margins shrink.
- 3
Automate scheduling
7shifts’ free tier handles scheduling for one location. Stop texting the group chat — let employees swap shifts and request time off from their phones.
- 4
Need hands-on help?
Book a 1-on-1 setup session and we’ll walk you through implementation for your specific restaurant or food business.