Restaurants & Bars
A restaurant that answers every question without picking up the phone mid-service
Food brings people together. Fiorella wanted the phone to stop pulling staff away from the people already at the table.
Osteria Fiorella
Fictional business
A 60-seat neighborhood restaurant, run by Marco, the owner, and a busy floor staff.
A table tent on every table and a sticker in the window. Guests scan to see the menu and specials, ask about allergens or parking, leave a rating before they leave, and claim a come-back offer for next time.
Example scenarios. Every business on these pages is fictional, and the numbers are worked out from the assumptions shown, not measured results. Your numbers will differ.
Before Alfred
Where the week was leaking
The phone rings during the rush
Are you open? Do you have gluten-free? Can I park nearby? Every call is a server away from a table.
Guests want fresh reviews
A slow trickle of reviews makes a good place look quiet, and old ones count for less.
74% of consumers look for reviews written in the last three months.
BrightLocal, 2026 A good first visit, then nothing
There is no easy way to bring a first-timer back, because you never got their email or gave them a reason.
41% of consumers say belonging to a restaurant’s loyalty and reward program is an important factor when choosing a full-service restaurant.
National Restaurant Association, 2025
The setup
How they set it up
- 1
Quick start from the restaurant's website; printed table tents and a window decal from the Print kit.
- 2
Portal buttons: menu, a picture card for this week's special, directions, call, and a quick rating.
- 3
Train your assistant: allergens, parking, private dining, kids' menu, opening hours.
- 4
Give a reward after feedback: a free dessert next visit, each guest with their own code.
- 5
Reservations stay in their booking platform; the export file comes in under Bookings → "Bring in bookings or reservations from another platform".
Starter ($20/mo) runs this setup: Review & referral.
A week with Alfred
What the week looks like
Tuesday, 5:15 pm
Someone asks the portal whether the gnocchi is gluten-free. Alfred answers from what Marco taught it. No call during prep.
Friday, 8:30 pm
A table scans the tent after dessert, rates the night five stars, and claims the dessert code for next time.
Saturday, 1:00 pm
A 2-star rating with a comment about a cold entrée lands in Conversations for Marco, privately.
Monday, 10:00 am
Analytics shows when people scan the table tents: mostly Friday after 8 pm.
The math
Time and money in play
Worked out from the assumptions in each line. Swap in your own numbers.
Staff time
- 50 phone questions a week answered on the portal instead × 2 minutes each = 1.7 hours a week, about 7.2 hours a month.
Guests coming back
- 120 first-time tables a month × $60 a table = $7,200 a month in play.
- If a come-back offer brings back 10 of those tables, that is $600 a month back.
What it costs
- About 217 chat replies (1¢ each) and 130 emails (0.2¢ each) a month is $2.43 of credit. Starter ($20/mo) includes $3 a month.
Actionable insights
What you can do this week
Put a QR code where the bill lands
The moment after the meal is when a guest has time to rate you and claim an offer.
Teach Alfred your allergen answers first
It is the question staff least want to guess at, and the one guests most need answered.
Make the offer for next time, not tonight
A dessert on the next visit gives a reason to come back; a discount tonight does not.
Read the low ratings every Monday
They come to you first in Conversations. One fix to the kitchen is worth ten replies online.
Run your own version of this week
Start on the free plan, build your portal in a few minutes, and print your QR code today.