Stop Missing Catering Inquiries After the Kitchen Closes AI Voice Agents That Answer Every Call, 24/7
Imagine your phone ringing at 2 AM with a potential wedding client—our custom AI voice agents handle it instantly, booking that event while you sleep. No more lost leads from after-hours gaps, just round-the-clock service that boosts your bookings by 30% or more.
Join 250+ food service businesses capturing every opportunity with AIQ Labs
The "After-Hours Lead Loss" Problem
Evening event inquiries for rehearsal dinners and cocktail hours go unanswered, losing out on high-margin weekend weddings and private parties with 50+ guests
Peak lunch rushes for boxed lunches and salad platters tie up your line, missing calls from last-minute corporate catering orders for 20-person meetings
Staff shortages during busy prep times for plated dinners mean dropped calls, frustrating clients seeking last-minute menu changes like swapping gluten-free entrees
Outdated voicemail systems fail to capture details for off-site events like farm-to-table weddings, leading to forgotten follow-ups on buffet setups and bar packages
Holiday surges for festive turkey roasts and dessert spreads overwhelm your team, turning away high-value banquet bookings for 100-guest corporate galas to competitors
Inconsistent responses to nut-free or vegan allergy questions erode trust, especially for custom dietary catering needs like accommodating 30 guests with multiple restrictions
Our Custom-Built AI Voice Agents: Always On, Tailored to Your Catering Flow
With years of hands-on experience integrating AI into food service operations, we've helped catering companies like yours turn chaotic phone lines into revenue machines.
Why Choose Us
Let's be honest—catering isn't a 9-to-5 gig. Events pop up at all hours, and so do the calls. That's why we build AI voice agents specifically for your business, not some off-the-shelf template. We train them on your menus, pricing, and availability, so they sound like an extension of your team. You're probably thinking, 'Will it handle picky clients?' Absolutely—it qualifies leads, books tastings, and even suggests upsells like dessert add-ons. All integrated into your workflow, ensuring you never miss a beat—or a booking.
What Makes Us Different:
Unlock Round-the-Clock Wins for Your Catering Business
Capture Every Lead, No Matter the Hour
Capture Every Lead, No Matter the Hour: Picture this: A bride calls at midnight for her rehearsal dinner options, specifying 75 guests and a seafood-focused menu. Our AI agent answers immediately, gathers details on guest count, venue, and dietary prefs, then books a slot—turning a potential loss into a confirmed $5,000 plated dinner event. You wake up to a full calendar, not a missed opportunity, with seamless integration to your POS system for instant availability checks.
Boost Customer Satisfaction with Instant Service
Boost Customer Satisfaction with Instant Service: Clients expect quick answers on everything from vegan appetizer pairings to delivery timelines for hot buffet stations. Our agents provide them 24/7, reducing wait times from minutes to seconds and building loyalty. One caterer saw repeat business jump 25% within three months after frustrated after-hours callers finally got personalized info on gluten-free options right away, leading to more upsell opportunities like add-on beverage packages.
Streamline Operations Without Extra Staff Costs
Streamline Operations Without Extra Staff Costs: No need for overnight receptionists. The AI handles routine calls like confirming catering orders for finger-food hors d'oeuvres or updating on fresh ingredient availability for seasonal specials, freeing your team for what they do best—prepping killer meals like signature charcuterie boards. It's like having a tireless sous-chef for your phone lines, saving thousands in labor while scaling your efficiency for events up to 200 guests without added headcount.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ Labs, we'd lose half our weekend inquiries to voicemail—especially those late-night calls for corporate holiday party buffets with 80 guests. Now, the AI agent books tastings on the spot for charcuterie and dessert pairings, and we've added 15 events to our calendar in just two months without hiring extra help, boosting our off-season revenue by 30%."
Maria Gonzalez
Owner, Savory Events Catering, specializing in wedding and corporate banquets in Chicago
"Our team was swamped during wedding season, missing calls about custom cakes with fondant designs and floral setup arrangements for 150-guest receptions. The custom AI voice agent we built with AIQ handles it all flawlessly—qualifying leads for plated entrees and even suggesting wine pairings. Revenue from after-hours bookings is up 40% year-over-year, and clients rave about the instant, knowledgeable responses during peak June weekends."
David Patel
Operations Manager, Gourmet Gatherings, a boutique caterer for upscale events in New York
"I was skeptical about AI sounding natural for detailed allergy questions on shellfish-free options or menu tweaks for vegan charcuterie, but theirs integrates perfectly with our inventory system. Last quarter, it managed a rush of school event inquiries overnight for boxed lunch assemblies, securing three big contracts worth $12,000 that we would've slept through. Total game-changer for our small team handling 50+ weekly orders."
Elena Rivera
Founder and Head Chef, Fresh Feast Catering, focused on school and community events in Los Angeles
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Customization
We dive into your catering workflows—your menus, peak seasons, and client pain points—to design an AI agent that fits like a glove. No cookie-cutter stuff; it's built for your exact needs, from banquet inquiries to quick lunch orders.
Integration and Training
Our engineers connect the agent to your CRM and calendars, training it on your voice and specifics like seasonal specials. We test it rigorously, ensuring it handles real scenarios like a sudden 50-guest addition without missing a beat.
Launch and Optimization
Go live with 24/7 coverage, and we monitor performance, tweaking based on actual calls—like refining responses for dietary restrictions. You'll see immediate wins, with full support to scale as your business grows.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does the AI voice agent handle specific catering questions like menu customizations?
We tailor the agent to your exact offerings, training it on details like portion sizes, ingredient lists, and pricing tiers. For instance, if a client asks about modifying a plated dinner for 150 guests with vegan options, it pulls from your menu data to suggest alternatives, confirm availability, and even quote add-ons. It's not generic— we map it to your workflow, ensuring responses align with your suppliers and prep constraints. This means faster, more accurate interactions that feel personal, reducing back-and-forth and boosting satisfaction. Plus, it logs everything for your team to review, so nothing falls through the cracks during busy seasons.
What if a call needs a human touch, like negotiating a large event contract?
Our agents are smart about knowing when to hand off. They qualify the lead first—gathering basics like event date, guest count, and budget range—then seamlessly transfer to your on-call staff with a full summary. It's like a well-trained assistant prepping the table before the chef arrives. In practice, this cuts down on unnecessary interruptions; simple queries like availability checks stay with the AI, while big deals go straight to you. We've seen transfer rates drop to under 20% for catering clients, freeing your team for high-value work without missing nuances in negotiations.
Is the AI agent compliant with food service regulations, especially for allergy info?
Absolutely—compliance is baked in from the start. We train the agent on FDA guidelines and your specific protocols for allergens, ensuring it never gives advice that could mislead. For example, when asked about nut-free options, it references your verified menu and suggests safe swaps while advising clients to confirm details. It's audited for accuracy, and we include disclaimers where needed. This builds trust, especially for events with strict dietary needs, and protects your business. Unlike generic bots, ours is customized to your operations, so it evolves with any menu changes or new regulations.
How quickly can we get this set up for our catering business?
From consultation to launch, most catering setups take 4-6 weeks, depending on complexity. We start with a deep dive into your current phone flows and systems, then build and test the agent over 2-3 weeks. Integration with tools like your booking software happens in parallel. For a mid-sized caterer, we've rolled out in under a month, starting with core features like inquiry handling and expanding to analytics. It's phased to minimize disruption—pilot on a subset of lines first. Post-launch, we optimize based on real calls, ensuring it's humming during your next peak like wedding season.
What kind of results have other catering companies seen with your AI voice agents?
Clients typically see a 25-40% increase in captured leads within the first quarter, especially from after-hours calls that used to vanish. One wedding caterer went from 15% voicemail conversion to 85% instant bookings, adding $120K in annual revenue. Another corporate-focused firm reduced staff call time by 30 hours a week, redirecting efforts to event planning. These aren't fluff numbers—we track metrics like response time (under 5 seconds) and conversion rates through your integrated dashboard. It's all about filling your pipeline without the overhead, tailored to food service realities like seasonal surges.
Can the AI agent integrate with our existing catering management software?
Yes, we specialize in deep, custom integrations with platforms like CaterTrax, Planning Pod, or even QuickBooks for invoicing. The agent pulls real-time data—like current availability for your fleet of vans or stock on popular items—to give accurate responses. For example, if inventory is low on shrimp cocktails, it suggests alternatives on the fly. We use secure APIs for two-way sync, so bookings auto-populate your calendar and trigger prep alerts. This eliminates manual entry errors, which plague many caterers during rushes. If your setup is unique, we build bridges that feel native, ensuring smooth ops without juggling apps.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.