The Voice That Takes Your Reservation May Not Be Human
Restaurants can now make your booking via Artificial Intelligence
Hello, and welcome to the CulinaryWoman Newsletter. I assure you that this was not written by AI, but by a real live person — me. However, the next time you book a restaurant reservation, the person at the other end of the phone might not be a person at all.
Another Piece Of The Restaurant Experience Begins To Vanish
In recent years, Artificial Intelligence has invaded the restaurant industry. It’s in use everywhere from Point of Sale terminals, to kiosks, to the announcements that greet you at the drive-through window.
Of course, we’ve been booking reservations online for some time now. But a number of restaurants still take bookings over the phone — in fact, a few hold outs do so exclusively.
I often sit at a spot by the front of the house stand at Zingerman’s Roadhouse, where the staff manages a continuous stream of reservations calls, even though bookings are available online.
Often, the calls concern special events or big parties, and the caller has particular requests. Some like to be sure they’ll be waited on by a favorite server, others want a specific area to sit, while a few might have dietary restrictions that need to be met.
While I make 99 percent of my reservations on apps, I like having a human backup option, and many diners do, too.
Soon, that person may be replaced by technology. Last week, I got an email from PolyAI and Open Table. They have formed a partnership that uses AI generated technology to handle reservations, answer questions, and deliver what the companies call “on-brand experiences.”
They contend that the AI reservations takers free up staff to focus on in-house guests. Through the system, you can make, amend or cancel reservations, and find out information that you would normally get from a human.
More than 2,000 restaurants are now using AI reservationists in the United Kingdom, and dozens are going live each week. Here’s a recording that I found to be both fascinating and to be honest, a tiny bit alarming.
It’s so similar to human conversation that you might never know the difference. Soon, you may be having one.
Melting Pot in Red Bank, N.J., part of the chain that bills itself as “the original fondue restaurants,” is fielding 100 percent of its reservations calls with the Poly AI voice assistant.
I’d love to get your reaction. Will this meet your need for restaurant interaction? Or would you prefer speaking with a live person?
On one hand, the system seems egalitarian. As long as you can get through to the restaurant, you can place a reservation. Your conversation won’t be interrupted by a need on the floor or a long hold time.
And, since the AI voice repeats what you’ve said, you can hopefully avoid human errors.
But it’s one more piece of the restaurant experience that’s vanishing. Soon, reservationists could find themselves in the same company as hand-written checks. Are you ready for it?
The Hot Chef On Emily In Paris May Regret That Star
In its recent seasons, the Netflix comedy Emily in Paris has focused one of its story lines on Gabriel, a hot-looking chef who is Emily’s neighbor and a love interest. Emily’s marketing agency represents his restaurant, L’Esprit de Gigi, named for his grandmother, and the show has documented its pursuit of a Michelin star.
A new study says that Gabriel might regret his achievement. According to a new study published in the Strategic Management Journal, restaurants that received a Michelin star were more likely to close in subsequent years than restaurants at similar levels that are not awarded one.
Researcher David B. Sands of University College London compiled a list of New York City restaurants that received a Michelin star from 2000 to 2014. He then tracked the starred restaurants’ performance through 2019.
He met with restaurant owners after the star was awarded, including those that had closed, and asked them to describe their experience.
Although the award was initially appreciated, owners told him that a Michelin star meant that every piece of their supply chain expected more. Landlord raised rents. Vendors raised prices. Employees demanded raises and better working conditions (as they should). And customers felt they should be getting an upgraded experience.
A major challenge came in the form of new diners who showed up solely based on the accolade, both tourists and locals. With reservations harder to get, regulars came less often. Owners felt pressure to add tables and seatings, even though that put pressure on costs.
Of course, many find ways to manage the pressure. But Sands wrote, “Firms must understand that even a great rating can disrupt their key relationships.” In other words, be careful what you wish for. Emily in Paris may need to incorporate that caution into Season 5.
Simone Biles Vaults Into The Restaurant Business (Sorry)
Many sports stars have tried their hand at the restaurant world. Think of Michael Jordan’s steakhouse or Mickey Mantle’s old place on Central Park South. Joe DiMaggio had a restaurant in San Francisco. Recently, Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes invested in a place in Kansas City.
Now, seven-time Olympic gymnastics gold medallist Simone Biles is joining other GOATS. She is backing a new restaurant, named “Taste of Gold,” inside Houston Intercontinental Airport.
The venture is a partnership with The Playmakers Group and is set to open in early 2025.
“I am a foodie at heart,” Biles said in a press release. “And our hope with Taste of Gold is to offer a beautiful dining experience that features award-winning, signature menu items with some of my favourite flavors sprinkled in for our guests.”
Simone has said her favorite food is French fries, and received a massive bouquet of them from the Today Show’s Hoda Kotb at the Paris Olympics. So, they seem like a likely feature at her upcoming place.
Two Cookies That Caught My Attention
As regular CulinaryWoman readers know, brands are always trying to send me things. I resist anything with real value, and won’t accept alcohol or expensive kitchen gear. But two shipments of cookies recently got my attention.
Starting Tuesday, Bell’s Cookies is launching Chocolate Sesame Halva Cookies as a celebration of Jewish and Middle Eastern flavors. The cookies are baked with Soom Tahini, one of my personal favorites, and Hebel and Company halva, made from sweetened sesame paste.
Bell’s sent me a box of cookies and I had to limit myself to one a day, they were so tasty. The chocolate part is moist and you get a nice blob of halva in the middle. Bell’s has several special offers, including free shipping and a discount for submitting your email.
I went to Milk Bar in New York City not long after it opened 20 years ago. Food lovers all over the city were drawn by Christina Tosi’s cookies and pies, which soon gained a national reputation.
Milk Bar has grown into a brand with an extensive lineup, available for national shipping. The latest addition to its Super Crunchy Cookies is a flavor called Chili Crisp.
These little cookies (six per serving) are deceiving. When I first tried them, I thought they were just a crunchy sugar cookie. But at the very end, I got a note of chili. Subsequent bites made the flavor come through more distinctly.
You can order some directly from Milk Bar. They’re three bags for $21 and you can also get them in a kit with noodles and what else, chili crunch.
Keeping Up With CulinaryWoman
The Detroit Tigers made the post season! I got to see the Tigers play the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday at Comerica Park, when they staged a come from behind victory and their magic number was reduced to one.
They clinched a playoff spot Friday night, to the delight of Detroiters, and I’m planning to be at the ballpark today for the Tigers’ last regular season game. The Tigers are holding a watch party for Tuesday’s wild card game and I hope to attend that, too.
A shoutout to Lorna, the legendary server in the Tiger Den, the Comerica pub where we always eat before (and sometimes between) the games. Lorna, who you can see, above, is going on a cruise and will miss the post season, but she deserves a break from serving hundreds of people per game. (I’m so glad the Tiger Den offers zero alcohol Blue Moon.)
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On Monday, I will weigh in for paid subscribers on this season’s first episode of The Great British Bake Off.
Since the show airs there on Tuesdays, British media publish spoilers before we can watch the show Fridays on Netflix. I learned the outcome well in advance. Still, I hope you were surprised if you watched this weekend.
I’ll be reviewing GBBO and the Great Canadian Baking Show in Red Beans & Advice throughout the fall. Upgrade and join the conversation.
See you then, or next week.