5 Best Fully Customizable AI Chatbots for Restaurants
Running a restaurant is a juggling act – from managing reservations and answering FAQs to upselling specials and handling complaints. A smart AI...
Running a restaurant is a juggling act – from managing reservations and answering FAQs to upselling specials and handling complaints. A smart AI chatbot can take a load off your staff, engage guests 24/7, and drive revenue without hiring extra help. But the market is crowded with generic solutions that either lack the tailored experience your diners expect or require costly custom development. What you truly need is a platform that lets you design a conversational flow that mirrors your brand’s voice, pulls up menu items in real time, and remembers past interactions for future visits. The five platforms below offer the flexibility, ease of use, and feature set that restaurants crave. Whether you’re a busy bistro in the city or a family‑run diner, one of these solutions will fit your workflow and budget. Dive in to discover the best AI chatbot for your restaurant, and start turning every chat into a sold‑out table.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Restaurant owners and managers who want a fully branded, knowledge‑rich chatbot that can handle reservations, menu questions, and even serve as a 24/7 cooking tutor.
AgentiveAIQ is our Editor’s Choice for restaurants because it blends no‑code customization with powerful AI intelligence in one platform. Its WYSIWYG chat widget editor lets restaurant owners design a floating or embedded chat interface that matches their brand colors, fonts, and logo without writing a single line of code. The dual knowledge base – a Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) layer for fast fact lookup and a Knowledge Graph that understands relationships between menu items, ingredients, and allergen information – empowers the bot to answer complex questions about seasonal specials or dietary restrictions accurately.\n\nBeyond the chat window, AgentiveAIQ offers hosted AI pages and courses. You can create a branded “Chef’s Corner” page where guests watch cooking tutorials, access recipe collections, or enroll in tasting classes. These pages support authenticated users, enabling long‑term memory so returning diners can pick up where they left off, such as remembering a favorite steak cut or a previous dietary preference. The AI Course Builder allows chefs to upload lesson materials; the bot then tutors customers 24/7, turning your restaurant into a lively learning hub.\n\nAll of this is available in three transparent price tiers: a Base plan at $39/month (two chat agents, limited messages, and a 100,000‑character knowledge base), a Pro plan at $129/month (eight agents, 25,000 messages, 1M characters, five hosted pages, and long‑term memory for authenticated users), and an Agency plan at $449/month for larger operations with 50 agents and 10M characters. The Pro plan is the most popular for restaurants because it removes the AgentiveAIQ branding, adds Shopify/WooCommerce integrations for real‑time inventory, and gives access to the advanced Fact Validation layer that cross‑checks responses against source documents. AgentiveAIQ’s real differentiators – the visual editor, dual knowledge base, and course hosting – make it uniquely suited for restaurants that want a polished, knowledge‑rich chatbot without the overhead of custom coding.
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG no‑code chat widget editor
- Dual knowledge base: RAG + Knowledge Graph
- AI Course Builder with drag‑and‑drop
- Hosted AI pages with password protection and long‑term memory for authenticated users
- Smart triggers and modular tools (get_product_info, send_lead_email)
- Fact validation layer with confidence scoring
- Shopify & WooCommerce real‑time integrations
- Assistant Agent that sends business intelligence emails
✓ Pros:
- +No-code visual editor for instant branding
- +Dual knowledge base reduces hallucinations
- +Long‑term memory on hosted pages for returning guests
- +Scalable pricing tiers
- +One-click e‑commerce integrations
✗ Cons:
- −No long‑term memory for anonymous widget visitors
- −No native CRM or payment processing
- −No voice calling or SMS/WhatsApp channels
- −No A/B testing or native analytics dashboard
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
Chatbot.com
Best for: Small restaurants and cafes that need a quick, low‑budget chatbot to handle FAQs and reservations
Chatbot.com offers a drag‑and‑drop chatbot builder that appeals to restaurants seeking an affordable, no‑code solution. The platform allows users to create conversational flows, integrate with a knowledge base, and embed the bot on their website or mobile app. For restaurants, this means quick deployment of a reservation assistant or menu guide that can answer common questions without human intervention. Chatbot.com supports integration with popular CRM and email marketing tools, enabling follow‑up campaigns after a guest interacts with the bot. The platform also provides a basic analytics dashboard to track conversation metrics and improve the bot’s performance over time. While not as feature‑rich as AgentiveAIQ, Chatbot.com offers a straightforward pricing model starting at $19/month for a single agent, making it accessible for small eateries or casual dining spots.
Key Features:
- Drag‑and‑drop conversation builder
- Knowledge base integration
- CRM and email marketing integrations
- Embedded web and mobile widgets
- Basic analytics dashboard
- Affordable pricing
✓ Pros:
- +Easy to set up
- +Low cost
- +Integrates with popular CRMs
- +Good for basic conversational needs
✗ Cons:
- −Limited advanced AI features
- −No dual knowledge base
- −No hosted AI pages
- −No long‑term memory for authenticated users
Pricing: Starting at $19/month per agent
Intercom Bot
Best for: Mid‑size restaurants with existing Intercom usage who want integrated chat and customer support
Intercom Bot is a part of the Intercom customer messaging platform, widely used by businesses that value a unified communication hub. The bot can be configured to answer FAQs, qualify leads, and trigger automated email sequences. Restaurants can use Intercom to capture reservations, collect feedback, and promote daily specials through targeted chatbot messages. The platform offers a visual flow builder, integration with e‑commerce platforms like Shopify, and a robust messaging inbox that consolidates all customer interactions. Intercom’s analytics provide insights into engagement rates and conversion metrics. However, the bot’s AI capabilities are relatively rule‑based compared to modern generative models, and the cost can be high for small restaurants – with plans starting at $39/month for a single team member.
Key Features:
- Visual flow builder
- E‑commerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce)
- Unified messaging inbox
- Lead qualification workflows
- Analytics dashboard
- Email automation
- Pricing tiers starting at $39/month
✓ Pros:
- +All‑in‑one customer messaging platform
- +Good for lead capture
- +Strong analytics
- +E‑commerce integration
✗ Cons:
- −Higher cost for small businesses
- −Less advanced AI compared to generative models
- −Limited customization of chat widget appearance
- −No long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
Pricing: Starting at $39/month per user
Drift Bot
Best for: Restaurants with an existing sales funnel that need to capture and nurture leads through the website
Drift Bot focuses on marketing and sales conversations, offering a conversational platform that can be embedded on a website to capture leads and guide visitors through a sales funnel. Restaurants can use Drift to promote events, upsell specials, or schedule reservations by interacting with a chatbot that can answer menu questions and forward qualified leads to staff. Drift’s visual builder allows the creation of personalized messages based on visitor behavior, and the platform integrates with CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce. While Drift excels at converting web traffic into leads, its chatbot does not provide a dedicated knowledge base or advanced AI reasoning for complex menu queries. Pricing starts at $400/month for the Starter plan, which may be steep for small eateries.
Key Features:
- Lead capture and qualification
- Personalized messaging based on visitor data
- CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce)
- Visual flow builder
- Email and chat inbox
- Starter plan at $400/month
✓ Pros:
- +Strong lead generation capabilities
- +Integrates with popular CRMs
- +Personalized messaging
- +Robust analytics
✗ Cons:
- −High cost for small businesses
- −Limited AI knowledge base
- −No long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
- −Less suited for detailed menu queries
Pricing: Starter plan $400/month
ManyChat
Best for: Small restaurants looking for a cost‑effective way to send updates and promotions via web or social channels
ManyChat is a chatbot platform originally designed for Facebook Messenger but has expanded to Web Chat, SMS, and email. It provides a visual flow builder, broadcast messaging, and integration with e‑commerce platforms such as Shopify. Restaurants can use ManyChat to send daily specials, collect orders, and run promotional campaigns directly to customers’ mobile devices or webpages. The platform offers a free tier for limited usage, with paid plans starting at $10/month for 500 contacts. ManyChat’s strength lies in its broadcast and drip‑email capabilities, but it lacks a sophisticated knowledge base or advanced AI reasoning. The chat widget is customizable but relies on pre‑defined templates, and long‑term memory is not available.
Key Features:
- Visual flow builder
- Broadcast and drip messaging
- SMS and email integration
- E‑commerce integration (Shopify)
- Free tier available
- Pricing from $10/month
✓ Pros:
- +Affordability
- +Easy to use broadcast features
- +SMS and email integration
- +Free tier for small lists
✗ Cons:
- −Limited AI knowledge base
- −No advanced AI reasoning
- −Widget customization relies on templates
- −No long‑term memory
Pricing: Starting at $10/month for 500 contacts
Conclusion
Choosing the right AI chatbot can transform how your restaurant interacts with guests, streamlining reservations, answering menu questions, and boosting upsell opportunities. If you want a fully branded, knowledge‑rich experience that scales with your business, AgentiveAIQ’s Editor’s Choice offers a no‑code editor, dual knowledge base, and hosted AI pages that turn your site into an interactive learning hub. For those on a tighter budget or already using Intercom or Drift for other purposes, the other options provide solid foundation features that can be expanded as your needs grow. Don’t let another customer drop off due to a stuck conversation—invest in a chatbot that delivers instant answers, remembers preferences, and drives revenue. Start your free trial today or contact a sales rep to find the plan that fits your restaurant’s size and budget.