AI phone ordering for takeaways.
How an AI takes a phone order from ring to kitchen ticket, what it really costs, and the questions to ask before you trust one with your phone.
In short
AI phone ordering is software that answers your takeaway's phone, takes the customer's order in conversation, reads it back and sends it straight to your till and kitchen. With ServeMate's AI, Sophie, a typical two-minute order call costs about 50p (25p a minute, only while she's on a call), she takes extra care with allergies, and she puts callers through to staff when they ask for a person. She already answers calls for Domino's franchise stores.
What is AI phone ordering?
It's an assistant that picks up your shop phone and takes the order the way a good member of staff would. The customer just talks. The AI asks what they'd like, checks sizes and extras, takes the name and address, reads the whole order back and sends it to your kitchen.
The difference from an old-style phone menu ("press 1 for delivery") is that nobody presses anything. The caller has a normal conversation.
How a call works, from ring to ticket
- The phone rings and the AI answers straight away, even if your staff are busy at the counter or the fryer.
- It takes the order in conversation: items, sizes, extras and any deals.
- It takes the details: name, collection or delivery, and the address if it's going out.
- It reads everything back and the caller confirms.
- The order lands on your till and kitchen screen like any other order, with a ticket printed if you use one.
You can listen to Sophie take a real order to hear exactly how this sounds.
What it costs
Sophie is priced by the minute, only while she's on a call, with no monthly fee:
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Per minute on a call | 25p |
| Typical order call (about 2 minutes) | about 50p |
| As a share of a typical £20 order | about 2.5% |
| Monthly fee | None |
Compare that with the £3 a delivery app takes on the same £20 order at 15% commission. Sophie is an add-on to the £49 a month ServeMate plan.
What to check before you trust an AI with your phone
Not all AI phone ordering is equal. These are the things that matter most behind a busy counter:
- Does it read the whole order back? A wrong order costs more than a missed one.
- Does it handle allergies carefully? It should take extra care and never guess.
- Does it know your menu, sizes, extras and deals? If the menu lives in a separate system, prices drift.
- Does the order go straight into your till and kitchen? Not a separate tablet someone has to re-key from.
- Can callers get a person? Some customers just want staff. The AI should put them through.
- Does it know your regulars? Sophie remembers regulars and their usual orders, and can tell callers where their order is.
- Does it sound right for your shop? Sophie talks in a natural British voice.
Who's using it already
Sophie answers calls for Domino's franchise stores and for independent takeaways. Because she's built into ServeMate, she uses the same menu, deals and loyalty as the till, website and kiosk, so a price change in one place is a price change everywhere.
How does Sophie's pricing work?
25p per minute while she's on a call. No monthly fee. Most order calls take about 2 minutes.
Is Sophie expensive?
Most order calls take about 2 minutes, so Sophie costs roughly 50p per order, about 2.5% of a typical £20 order. You only pay while she's on a call.
What if a caller wants to speak to a person?
Sophie transfers the call to your staff.
Does Sophie handle allergies?
Yes. She takes extra care with allergies and reads every order back before it goes to the kitchen.
Is Sophie included in the £49 plan?
No, Sophie is an optional add-on. She costs 25p per minute while she's on a call, with no monthly fee, so a typical order costs about 50p.
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