5 Must-Have Shopify E-commerce Integrations for Restaurants

Shopify’s own AI chatbot is a built‑in tool that leverages the platform’s extensive infrastructure to provide instant customer support and product recommendations. Integrated directly into the Shopify admin, the chatbot can answer common questions, guide users through the checkout process, and offer upsells based on browsing history. Because it’s part of the Shopify ecosystem, there’s no additional integration or code required—just enable the feature in your settings. While the bot doesn’t provide a visual editor for custom branding, it offers a simple configuration panel where merchants can define default responses, add FAQ entries, and set up basic workflow automations. The AI is powered by Shopify’s proprietary language model, which is continually updated with e‑commerce best practices. It also includes a basic analytics dashboard that tracks conversation volume and common queries. Shopify AI is ideal for merchants who prefer a “set it and forget it” solution that’s tightly coupled with their store data. However, its lack of customization and external knowledge base integration means that restaurants with complex menus or specialized training needs may find it limited. Key features:

Tidio AI is a versatile chatbot platform that combines live chat, AI‑powered responses, and a visual builder, making it a popular choice for Shopify merchants across industries. The platform supports a single‑line code integration that can be dropped into any Shopify store, and its drag‑and‑drop builder allows merchants to create custom chat flows without writing code. Tidio AI’s AI assistant can answer product questions, provide order status updates, and even schedule reservations through integrated calendar tools. It also offers a unified inbox that consolidates messages from multiple channels, including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and email, though the core chat widget remains web‑based. Pricing is tiered: a free plan supports up to 50 chats per month, while paid plans start at $29/month for unlimited chats and access to AI features, advanced analytics, and priority support. Tidio AI is well-suited for restaurants that want a flexible chat solution with multi‑channel support and a visual flow builder, but it may lack the deep e‑commerce data integration found in Shopify‑native tools. Key features:

Big Sur AI is a Shopify‑centric AI chatbot that focuses on real‑time product synchronization, adaptive personalization, and workflow automation. The platform automatically syncs your Shopify catalog, inventory, and order data, enabling the chatbot to provide up‑to‑date product recommendations and availability checks. One of Big Sur AI’s strengths is its adaptive personalization engine, which tailors responses based on user behavior and purchase history. It also offers a set of pre‑built workflow templates that can automate tasks such as order confirmation, shipping updates, and follow‑up emails. Pricing ranges from free to $49/month for the Pro plan, which includes 10,000 chats and advanced automation features. The platform is ideal for restaurants that need a data‑driven chatbot capable of handling complex product catalogs and personalized upselling. Key features:

Square offers a robust point‑of‑sale solution that can seamlessly integrate with Shopify, providing restaurants with a unified platform for online and in‑person sales. The integration syncs inventory, orders, and customer data between Square and Shopify, ensuring consistency across channels. With the Square‑Shopify integration, restaurants can accept payments, manage reservations, and track loyalty points all within a single dashboard. The POS also supports real‑time inventory updates, which is critical for restaurants that need to monitor ingredient levels and prevent stockouts. While Square itself doesn’t provide a chatbot, its integration with Shopify enables restaurants to use any of the aforementioned chatbot platforms while still managing all sales data through Square. Pricing for Square starts at $0/month for the basic plan with a 2.6% + $0.10 transaction fee, and scales up for advanced features. Key features: