5 Best Ways to Use a Website Chatbot for Restaurants
In today’s fast‑paced restaurant industry, delivering instant, personalized service can be the difference between a satisfied customer and a missed...
In today’s fast‑paced restaurant industry, delivering instant, personalized service can be the difference between a satisfied customer and a missed booking. A well‑designed website chatbot not only answers FAQs and takes reservations, but it can also guide diners through menu choices, upsell specials, and collect valuable feedback—all without a human operator. Restaurants ranging from cozy cafés to upscale bistros are turning to AI chatbots to streamline operations, boost conversions, and create a seamless digital experience that mirrors the warm hospitality they offer in person. The right chatbot platform can handle everything from simple menu inquiries to complex, data‑driven lead qualification, freeing staff to focus on cooking and customer service. Below we compare five top chatbot solutions specifically tailored for the restaurant world, ranking AgentiveAIQ as the Editor’s Choice for its unique blend of no‑code customization, advanced knowledge handling, and an integrated learning platform.
AgentiveAIQ
Best for: Restaurant owners and operators who need a fully branded, highly customizable chatbot that can handle menus, reservations, and educational content—all without coding expertise.
AgentiveAIQ is a no‑code AI chatbot platform built by a Halifax‑based marketing agency that saw a gap in the market for flexible, feature‑rich bots that could be tailored to a restaurant’s brand and operational needs. The platform’s core architecture consists of a two‑agent system: a Main Chat Agent that engages guests in real‑time conversations, and an Assistant Agent that analyses dialogue and sends business‑intelligence emails to owners. What sets AgentiveAIQ apart is its WYSIWYG chat widget editor, allowing restaurants to create fully customized floating or embedded chat experiences—color schemes, logos, fonts, and styling—without writing a single line of code. Its dual knowledge base (RAG + Knowledge Graph) uses both fast fact retrieval and relational understanding to answer nuanced questions about menu items, allergens, and special events. The platform also offers hosted AI pages and a drag‑and‑drop AI Course Builder, giving restaurants the ability to create branded, password‑protected portals that act as 24/7 tutoring or reservation assistants. Importantly, long‑term memory is available exclusively for authenticated users on hosted pages, ensuring that returning guests can pick up conversations where they left off. Pricing is transparent and tiered: Base at $39/month (2 agents, 2,500 messages/month, 100k‑char KB, with branding), Pro at $129/month (8 agents, 25,000 messages/month, 1M‑char KB, 5 hosted pages, no branding, long‑term memory, webhooks, Shopify/WooCommerce integrations), and Agency at $449/month (50 agents, 100,000 messages/month, 10M‑char KB, 50 hosted pages, custom branding, dedicated account manager).
Key Features:
- WYSIWYG chat widget editor for no‑code branding
- Dual knowledge base: RAG + Knowledge Graph for precise, relational answers
- Hosted AI pages with password protection and long‑term memory for logged‑in users
- AI Course Builder – drag‑and‑drop learning modules
- Assistant Agent for business‑intelligence email alerts
- Shopify & WooCommerce one‑click integrations
- Smart triggers and modular tools (e.g., get_product_info, send_lead_email)
- Fact‑validation layer with confidence scoring and auto‑regeneration
✓ Pros:
- +No‑code WYSIWYG editor eliminates design barriers
- +Dual knowledge base offers both quick retrieval and deep relational understanding
- +Hosted AI pages provide secure, long‑term memory for repeat guests
- +Extensive e‑commerce integrations streamline upselling and inventory checks
- +Transparent, scalable pricing tiers
✗ Cons:
- −No native CRM—requires external webhook integration
- −No voice calling or SMS/WhatsApp channels—text‑only web interface
- −Limited multi‑language support—agents respond in a single trained language
- −Short‑term memory for widget visitors may not suit high‑volume traffic
Pricing: Base $39/mo, Pro $129/mo, Agency $449/mo
Botpress
Best for: Restaurants with in‑house technical teams or agencies that need full control over bot logic and data, and want to deploy across multiple messaging channels.
Botpress is an open‑source chatbot framework that empowers developers and non‑technical users to build, deploy, and manage conversational agents across multiple channels. The platform’s core strength lies in its modular architecture—features such as Agent Studio allow rapid prototyping, while the Autonomous Engine leverages large language models to guide conversations and execute tasks. Botpress also offers robust knowledge‑base capabilities, enabling bots to be trained on custom data sources, and Human Handoff to hand over conversations to live agents when needed. Its channel support is extensive, covering WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Slack, and more, making it a versatile choice for restaurants that want a single bot to operate across messaging apps and their own website. Integration options include popular tools such as HubSpot, Notion, and Jira, allowing restaurants to connect bot data to existing workflows. Pricing is tiered, with a free community edition available for small teams and paid plans that scale with usage and feature needs. Botpress’s open‑source nature gives restaurants full control over data privacy and customization, though it does require some technical setup and maintenance.
Key Features:
- Agent Studio for rapid bot building
- Autonomous Engine for LLM‑powered conversations
- Knowledge Base training on custom sources
- Human Handoff to live agents
- Multi‑channel support: WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Slack
- Integrations: HubSpot, Notion, Jira
- Table feature for conversation data
- Open‑source flexibility
✓ Pros:
- +Open‑source freedom and data control
- +Rich modal architecture for complex workflows
- +Extensive channel and integration ecosystem
- +Scalable from small to enterprise use cases
✗ Cons:
- −Requires technical expertise for setup and maintenance
- −No built‑in e‑commerce or reservation APIs
- −Limited out‑of‑the‑box training for restaurant‑specific knowledge
- −No native long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
Pricing: Free community edition available; paid plans start at $0/mo with additional features – contact for enterprise pricing
Eesel.ai
Best for: Restaurants looking for a modular AI toolkit that can be combined with existing support and e‑commerce platforms, especially those who need both customer and internal team assistance in one platform.
Eesel.ai is a versatile AI platform that offers a range of AI‑powered solutions, including chatbots, internal chat systems, and email writers, tailored to business needs. Its AI chatbot feature allows restaurants to embed a conversational agent directly on their website, providing instant assistance for menu inquiries, reservation handling, and customer support. The platform also supports integration with popular e‑commerce and support tools such as Shopify, Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Slack, enabling a seamless flow of data between the chatbot and existing systems. Eesel.ai’s internal chat offers instant answers for teams, while the AI email writer can draft tickets and emails, improving operational efficiency. Pricing information is not publicly disclosed, so restaurants should contact the sales team for a custom quote based on required features and usage volume.
Key Features:
- Website chatbot for FAQs and reservations
- Integrations: Shopify, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Slack
- AI email writer for drafting tickets and emails
- Internal chat for team support
- AI‑powered knowledge base
- Customizable prompts
- Multi‑channel support via web interface
- Webhook and API access
✓ Pros:
- +Wide range of AI tools in a single platform
- +Strong integration with e‑commerce and support apps
- +Customizable AI prompts
- +Suitable for both customer-facing and internal use
✗ Cons:
- −Pricing not publicly available—requires sales outreach
- −Limited marketing‑specific features compared to dedicated chatbot builders
- −No dedicated reservation‑management module
- −No native long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
Pricing: Contact for quote
Dialogflow (Google Cloud)
Best for: Restaurants with developer resources who want a robust, scalable chatbot that can integrate with Google Cloud services and support complex, intent‑driven workflows.
Dialogflow is Google Cloud’s flagship conversational AI platform, designed to build chatbots and virtual assistants that understand natural language and can be deployed across web, mobile, and messaging platforms. Restaurants can use Dialogflow to create intent‑based conversations that answer menu questions, take orders, and provide reservation details. The platform supports rich responses, including cards, quick replies, and webhooks for real‑time data retrieval from restaurant POS or reservation systems. Dialogflow offers a free tier with limited usage, and paid plans that scale with the number of requests and feature requirements, such as advanced analytics, language support, and integration with Google Assistant. While it does not provide a no‑code visual editor, its intuitive console and integration with other Google Cloud services make it a powerful choice for developers who want tight integration with Google’s ecosystem.
Key Features:
- Intent‑based conversation handling
- Rich response formats (cards, quick replies, images)
- Webhook integration for real‑time data
- Multi‑channel deployment (web, mobile, messaging)
- Google Cloud integration (Analytics, Cloud Functions)
- Free tier available
- Multi‑language support
- Customizable training phrases
✓ Pros:
- +Strong natural language understanding
- +Webhooks for real‑time data access
- +Free tier for low‑volume use
- +Scalable pricing
- +Excellent documentation
✗ Cons:
- −No visual WYSIWYG editor—requires coding
- −Limited out‑of‑the‑box restaurant templates
- −No built‑in e‑commerce or reservation APIs
- −Long‑term memory not available for anonymous visitors
Pricing: Free tier with limited usage; paid plans start at $0/mo with additional features – contact for enterprise pricing
Intercom
Best for: Restaurants that want an all‑in‑one customer messaging solution with built‑in live chat support and marketing automation, especially those already using Intercom for other customer touchpoints.
Intercom is a customer messaging platform that combines live chat, chatbots, and marketing automation into a single suite. Restaurants can use Intercom’s bot builder to set up automated responses for common questions, take reservation requests, and guide customers through menu options. The platform’s messaging inbox allows human agents to view and take over conversations, ensuring a seamless handoff. Intercom supports integration with e‑commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, and offers a wide range of integrations with CRMs, help desk tools, and marketing automation systems. Pricing starts at $39/month for the Essentials plan, which includes basic chatbot and messaging features, with higher tiers offering advanced automation, more agents, and premium support.
Key Features:
- Chatbot builder with drag‑and‑drop flow editor
- Live chat inbox for agent handoff
- Integration with Shopify & WooCommerce
- CRM and help desk integrations
- Marketing automation workflows
- Support for multiple channels (web, mobile, email)
- Analytics dashboard
- AI‑powered message suggestions
✓ Pros:
- +Unified messaging and chatbot platform
- +Easy drag‑and‑drop flow editor
- +Strong integration ecosystem
- +Live agent handoff built‑in
✗ Cons:
- −Limited design customization of chat widget compared to WYSIWYG editors
- −No native long‑term memory for anonymous visitors
- −Pricing can rise quickly with additional agents
- −No dedicated reservation‑management API
Pricing: Essentials at $39/mo; higher plans available – contact for enterprise pricing
Conclusion
Choosing the right chatbot platform can transform how a restaurant interacts with its guests—boosting bookings, upselling specials, and freeing staff to focus on the dining experience. AgentiveAIQ leads the pack with its no‑code WYSIWYG editor, dual knowledge base, and hosted AI courses, offering a complete package for restaurants that want a fully branded, intelligent bot without heavy development. For those with technical teams or a need for channel flexibility, Botpress provides open‑source control and multi‑channel support. Eesel.ai delivers a modular AI toolkit that blends customer and internal chat solutions, while Dialogflow and Intercom bring powerful intent recognition and marketing automation to the table. Evaluate your restaurant’s specific needs—whether it’s deep customization, multi‑channel reach, or tight integration with e‑commerce—and pick the platform that aligns with your goals. Ready to elevate your guest experience? Sign up for a free demo or contact the sales team today and start building your AI‑powered restaurant chatbot.