3 Best Fully Customizable AI Chatbots for Restaurants
In an age where customer experience can make or break a restaurant’s reputation, having a reliable AI chatbot on your website or social media is no...
In an age where customer experience can make or break a restaurant’s reputation, having a reliable AI chatbot on your website or social media is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Whether you’re a small family‑run bistro looking to streamline reservations, a chain wanting to keep wait‑times short, or a fine‑dining establishment offering virtual tours, a smart chatbot can answer questions, take orders, and guide guests through your menu 24/7. But not every chatbot platform is created equal. Some offer limited templates, others focus on generic support, and a few simply don’t integrate cleanly with the tools restaurants already use. After a deep dive into the market, we’ve identified three platforms that stand out for their flexibility, ease of use, and restaurant‑specific features. The top pick is our Editor’s Choice, a no‑code solution that lets you fully brand the chatbot, pull data directly from your POS, and even create AI‑driven cooking classes. The other two are well‑established players that excel in reservation handling and omnichannel engagement. Whether you’re a solo chef or a multi‑location operator, these chatbots can help you turn casual browsers into loyal diners.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Restaurant owners and managers who want a fully customizable chatbot that can handle reservations, menu queries, staff training, and e‑commerce integration without a developer.
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code AI chatbot platform that gives restaurant owners full control over every aspect of the customer journey. With a powerful WYSIWYG chat widget editor, you can design a floating or embedded chat that matches your brand’s colors, typography, and logo—no developer needed. The dual knowledge‑base architecture—combining Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) for quick fact‑based answers and a Knowledge Graph for nuanced, relational queries—means your bot can answer menu questions, recommend pairings, and explain cooking techniques with confidence. For restaurants looking to offer more than just support, AgentiveAIQ’s hosted AI pages and AI course builder let you create branded learning portals, such as virtual cooking classes or staff training modules. These pages support long‑term memory, but only for authenticated users, ensuring a personalized experience for logged‑in diners or staff. The platform also integrates natively with Shopify and WooCommerce, pulling real‑time inventory and order data so the bot can confirm availability or suggest alternatives. While the widget itself is session‑only, the full suite of features—WYSIWYG editing, dual knowledge bases, hosted courses, and e‑commerce integration—sets AgentiveAIQ apart as the most versatile choice for restaurants.
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG chat widget editor for brand‑matching design
- Dual knowledge base: RAG + Knowledge Graph for accurate, context‑aware answers
- Hosted AI pages & AI course builder for virtual cooking classes
- Long‑term memory on authenticated users (hosted pages only)
- One‑click Shopify & WooCommerce integration
- Assistant Agent for background intelligence and email alerts
- Modular Agentic flows with webhook triggers
- Fact validation layer to reduce hallucinations
✓ Pros:
- +Full no‑code customization via WYSIWYG editor
- +Robust dual knowledge‑base for accurate answers
- +Built‑in courses for staff or customers
- +E‑commerce integration with real‑time data
- +Long‑term memory for logged‑in users
✗ Cons:
- −No voice or SMS channel support
- −Limited multi‑language translation
- −No native CRM, requires webhooks
- −No analytics dashboard built‑in
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
RestaurantBot
Best for: Small to medium restaurants that need a simple reservation bot with social media presence.
RestaurantBot is a dedicated AI chatbot platform that specializes in the hospitality industry. Designed to run on a restaurant’s website, Facebook Messenger, or Instagram Direct, it can handle reservations, take orders, and answer frequently asked questions about the menu, opening hours, and special events. The user interface is minimalistic, allowing restaurant owners to set up a chatbot in minutes using pre‑built templates, and the system can sync with popular reservation services such as OpenTable or Bookatable. RestaurantBot also offers a live‑chat handoff feature, so any complex requests can be escalated to a human staff member in real time. While the platform focuses on ease of use, it does not provide a visual editor for the chat widget, relying instead on CSS overrides for styling. Additionally, it lacks advanced knowledge‑base functionality and does not support AI course creation or hosted pages. For restaurants that need a quick reservation bot with social media integration, RestaurantBot provides a solid foundation, but those seeking deeper customization will find the platform somewhat limited.
Key Features:
- Reservation booking on website and social media
- Live‑chat handoff to human staff
- Integration with OpenTable and Bookatable
- Pre‑built templates for fast setup
- Customizable via CSS overrides
- Basic FAQ handling
- Supports multiple languages via manual translation
- Analytics dashboard for engagement metrics
✓ Pros:
- +Fast deployment with templates
- +Social media integration for wider reach
- +Live‑chat handoff for complex queries
- +Easy to use for non‑technical owners
✗ Cons:
- −No visual WYSIWYG editor
- −Limited AI knowledge‑base features
- −No advanced long‑term memory or courses
- −Requires manual CSS for styling
Pricing: Contact for quote
BotPenguin
Best for: Restaurants that need omnichannel chatbot support across social media platforms.
BotPenguin offers a versatile AI chatbot builder that supports a range of messaging platforms, including Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram. Restaurants can use BotPenguin to automate order confirmations, send promotional offers, and respond to common inquiries about menus or locations. The platform emphasizes lead generation, allowing restaurants to capture contact information and trigger follow‑up email sequences automatically. BotPenguin’s drag‑and‑drop builder is user‑friendly, but the design customization is primarily limited to colors and fonts; more advanced layout changes require manual code edits. While the bot can be trained on custom data, it does not offer a dual knowledge‑base or advanced knowledge‑graph features. BotPenguin also lacks dedicated long‑term memory or hosted AI page capabilities, meaning each interaction is stateless unless integrated with external CRM systems. Despite these limitations, BotPenguin is a solid choice for restaurants looking to expand their presence across multiple social channels and automate basic customer interactions.
Key Features:
- Multi‑platform support: Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram
- Drag‑and‑drop chatbot builder
- Lead capture and email automation
- Order confirmation and status updates
- Custom data training for specific menus
- Color and font customization
- Social media analytics dashboard
- Integration with external CRMs via webhooks
✓ Pros:
- +Wide platform coverage
- +Easy lead capture
- +Automated order updates
- +User‑friendly builder
✗ Cons:
- −Limited design customization beyond colors/fonts
- −No advanced knowledge‑base or graph features
- −No long‑term memory or hosted pages
- −Requires external CRM for data persistence
Pricing: Contact for quote
Conclusion
Choosing the right AI chatbot for your restaurant can transform how you interact with guests, streamline operations, and boost revenue. If you value complete control over design, knowledge management, and the ability to create educational content, AgentiveAIQ stands out as the best overall solution—especially with its no‑code WYSIWYG editor and dual knowledge base. For those who need a quick reservation tool that also appears on social media, RestaurantBot offers a straightforward, ready‑to‑use experience. And if omnichannel coverage across Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook is your priority, BotPenguin provides a solid platform for capturing leads and automating simple interactions. Evaluate each option against your workflow, budget, and technical comfort, and you’ll be ready to provide a seamless, AI‑powered experience that turns casual browsers into loyal diners.