Hostie, the AI-powered virtual concierge built for restaurant operators, has added commission-free takeout ordering to its platform, handling the full order conversation from menu questions to POS confirmation without requiring staff to touch the phone.
The San Francisco-based company already manages inbound calls, texts, reservations, private-event inquiries, and general guest communications for independent restaurants and multi-unit groups. The takeout expansion means operators can now capture off-premise orders through the same inbox, with integrations into Toast, Olo, and Square routing completed tickets directly to the kitchen — no manual re-entry required.
Early Results
In early adoption, Hostie has processed more than $200,000 in takeout orders, with a 70% order completion rate and more than 18,000 individual items ordered through the platform. Order volume peaks around 5 p.m. — the window when restaurant teams are typically at their most stretched. That timing underscores the core problem the feature addresses: takeout demand tends to spike precisely when dining rooms are filling and staff capacity is thinnest.
Randall Hom, co-founder and CEO of Hostie and co-owner of Back to Back, a wine bar and pizza restaurant in San Francisco, described the product's origin as a direct response to in-service phone pressure. "I started Hostie to answer every call without pulling the team off the floor," Hom said. "It began with questions and reservations, and as we kept listening to restaurateurs' biggest challenges during service, adding takeout became the natural next step."
How It Works
The system handles modifier requests, item availability checks, relevant upsells, and order confirmation in a single voice or text conversation. Menus and item availability sync automatically, so the AI concierge never confirms an item that's been 86'd. Calls, texts, and completed orders are all visible in a unified Hostie inbox, giving operators a single-pane view of guest communications and order flow without toggling between platforms.
For operators already navigating third-party delivery commission structures — typically 15% to 30% per order on major aggregator platforms — the commission-free model carries obvious margin appeal. As foodservice operators across segments look for ways to protect inside economics on off-premise volume, direct ordering tools have become an increasingly active category. That dynamic is as relevant for foodservice-forward convenience retailers building their own takeout channels as it is for full-service independents.
Hostie says hands-on onboarding and dedicated customer support are included to ensure the platform fits each restaurant's existing workflow. The takeout ordering capability is available now.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
