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Hospitality point-of-sale company Toast Inc. has expanded its partnership with Uber Technologies Inc. to enable restaurants using Uber’s delivery service to reach customers through more channels and lower their delivery costs.
Toast will integrate its platform with Uber Direct, Uber’s on-demand delivery platform that enables businesses to take orders through their Web sites, apps, or phones using Toast’s digital ordering channels. Those channels include online ordering, mobile app, and Local by Toast, Toast’s digital-ordering app. The app allows customers to browse and place orders from any restaurant that uses Toast’s restaurant point-of-sale and management system. Uber Direct is used by restaurants, grocers, convenience stores, and retailers.
As part of the expanded partnership, Toast will enable restaurants to access commission-free delivery for a low flat fee per order, the company says.
Toast and Uber have partnered since 2021 to facilitate order delivery for restaurants through the Uber Eats app.
Over Easy, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based breakfast and brunch chain with 16 locations, says the newly integrated platform has improved the customer experience by enabling orders to be placed through the company’s Web site and has helped keep delivery prices down.
In related news, SoundHound AI Inc., a provider of audio and speech-recognition technology has rolled out its voice AI Smart Ordering system at Torchy’s Tacos. Torchy’s operates 130 locations across 15 states.
SoundHound’s AI ordering manages all incoming calls and can handle multiple calls and orders simultaneously, according to the company. In addition, the system is designed to answer common questions about menu items, specials, store hours, and allergen information. The system is meant to help increase productivity by freeing employees to concentrate on higher-value tasks, such as food preparation and serving customers in-restaurant, SoundHound says.
In addition, SoundHound’s ordering system can cross-sell customers, which helps increase revenues, and is less prone to errors, which may enhance the experience for customers, according to the company.
A recent study by SoundHound reveals that 80% of regular diners in the United States believe AI voice assistants will handle most food ordering in the next few years.
SoundHound has deployed its voice AI solutions in more than 10,000 restaurant locations, and has processed more than 100 million interactions with restaurant customers, according to the company.
