As restaurant phone lines remain busy, a new wave of AI voice hosts—like Maitre-D, Newo, RestoHost, and Slang—is emerging to handle customer calls, answering questions about menus, reservations, and policies around the clock. These AI agents are designed to sound personable and help ease staffing pressures, but they still face challenges like latency, rigid responses, and struggles with nuanced conversations. While some restaurateurs appreciate the labor-saving benefits, others, like Crave Fishbar's owner, found that customers often prefer the warmth and flexibility of a human voice. As the technology improves and integrates with platforms like OpenTable, AI hosts are increasingly seen as digital team members rather than full replacements.