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Create your restaurant’s telephone greeting using an AI voice in just a few seconds
What your telephone reception service covers
4 scenarios for dealing with telephone enquiries specific at a restaurant
A restaurant receives dozens of calls a day, often at the worst possible times: during peak service, on Sunday mornings or over the festive season. These four situations call for a professional yet warm manner when answering the phone.
The restaurant is fully booked tonight
A customer who calls to make a booking and is met with a generic message would simply hang up. A telephone reception service that informs them the venue is fully booked whilst directing them to the next available slots or your booking platform will keep them interested.
The team is hard at work
Between 12 noon and 2 pm or between 7 pm and 10 pm, it’s impossible to get through. Your telephone reception service should direct callers to the online booking system and let them know when to ring back to speak to the team directly.
Weekly closure or annual leave
Closed on Mondays, holidays in August, a week of refurbishment: clear information provided over the phone prevents customers from making a wasted journey and maintains a professional image whilst you are away.
A group wants to privatise the hall
Birthdays, corporate events, weddings: enquiries about private hire are often made by telephone. Your telephone reception service can direct callers straight to the right contact person or enquiry form.
Briefing, registration, delivery, installation. Several days’ wait and a charge for each change.
You can create the audio file in a matter of seconds. Your installer receives it straight away.
Set up your company’s telephone greeting restaurant
With Voconix, you can go from a blank page to a professional audio file in just a few clicks, without a studio or a technician.
Write your text
Free-form text or pre-written template for a restaurant. Opening hours, bookings, closures, events, menu.
Choose your voice
Out of 5 languages, testable AI voices on your text and available human voices.
Add some music
Over 10,000 tracks. Automatic mixing.
Immediate download
File compatible with all systems. Ready to be sent.
Step 5/6: Choose music from over 10,000 tracks
Audio files ready to be submitted on your switchboard
The files generated by Voconix are compatible with all telephone systems used in the catering industry, without the need for conversion.
Audio formats
MP3, WAV, G.711a, G.711u, G.722, G.729. Compatible with all IP-PBXs and telephone switchboards. Standardised audio level for each file.
Direct delivery
Enter your installer’s contact details in Voconix so that he automatically receives the file, ready to be uploaded to your switchboard. Find out more
Saved pronunciations
The name of your restaurant or a signature dish that’s difficult to pronounce is remembered once in Voconix and reused in all your future messages.
Every missed call is a table that remains empty
A restaurant receives on average between 30 and 80 calls a day, depending on its size and market positioning. These calls often come at the worst possible times: during the lunch rush, in the middle of the evening service, or on a Sunday morning when no one has arrived yet. A customer who hears a generic or out-of-date message will book elsewhere, often with just a few clicks on TheFork or La Fourchette.
Your telephone greeting is the first auditory impression of your restaurant’s atmosphere. It should whet customers’ appetites, provide accurate information and guide them towards making an online booking. With Voconix, you can create and update this message in a matter of seconds.
The specific features of telephone customer service in the catering industry
Slot and capacity management
A restaurant that is fully booked should make this clear in its telephone greeting, whilst directing customers to the next available slots. A message that simply says «we’re fully booked» without offering any alternatives will lose the customer. A message saying «we’re fully booked tonight but there are tables available on Thursday and Friday – book via TheFork» will keep them on the line.
The complex working hours in the catering industry
Closed on Mondays, evening service only from Tuesday to Friday, extended opening hours at the weekend: a restaurant’s opening hours are often complex and vary with the seasons. Your telephone service must reflect these accurately to avoid unnecessary journeys and frustration.
Events and private hire
New Year’s Eve parties, end-of-year celebrations, corporate dinners, birthdays, weddings: requests for events and private hire account for a significant proportion of a restaurant’s turnover. Your telephone reception service can direct callers straight to the relevant contact person or an enquiry form, ensuring you don’t miss out on any opportunities.
Six telephone greeting scripts for restaurants
Create the audio file for your restaurant’s telephone greeting in just a few seconds.
Your first message is completely free – no credit card required.
Practical advice
Best practice in customer reception telephone service in the catering industry
Six practical tips for restaurant telephone customer service that turn every call into an opportunity to fill your dining room.
Always suggest an alternative when you are fully booked
A telephone enquiry where the operator simply states that you’re fully booked, with no alternative offered, will drive the customer away. Direct them to the next available slots or to your online booking page. A customer who books for Thursday is better than a customer lost tonight.
Please state your opening hours precisely
A restaurant’s opening hours can be complex: lunch service only on certain days, closed on Mondays, extended opening hours at the weekend. Your telephone reception staff must state these accurately to avoid customers making unnecessary journeys.
Update your message before each closing time
Holidays, refurbishment, temporary closure: update your telephone answering service the day before to state the date you’ll be back. With Voconix, this update takes just a few seconds to complete on your phone.
Choose a warm and engaging voice
The voice on your answering service should make people want to visit. Warm, cheerful and approachable: it should reflect the atmosphere of your restaurant and the welcome you offer your guests in the dining room.
Tailor your message to seasonal events
Christmas Eve, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day: these dates see peaks in bookings. A telephone greeting that mentions your special event menu or remaining availability creates a sense of urgency and encourages bookings.
Please direct enquiries regarding group bookings and private hire
Enquiries about private hire are often made by telephone. A telephone reception service that directs callers to the right person, or a dedicated email address, helps ensure these opportunities are not missed whilst the restaurant is open. It is worth making arrangements in advance for a group of 20 guests.
Telephone reception by sector
Every sector has its own constraints. Select your sector.
Enhance the voice communication on your restaurant
Restaurant pre-dinner appetiser
The first sound your customers hear before being put through. Create a warm and inviting atmosphere straight away that makes them want to come in.
Real-time updates
Fully booked tonight, one-off closure, change to the menu: update your telephone greeting straight away from your mobile.
Manage all your restaurant messages
Standard reception, general enquiries, events, holidays: all your restaurant’s telephone communications centralised in Voconix.
Business Answering Machine
Even when closed, you can communicate (opening hours, contact points, etc.) without having to leave a message.
New venue or events manager
Create the new manager’s message straight away, using the same voice and tone as the rest of the team.
Find your old messages
Previous seasonal menus, past events, old timetables: find and reuse all your old messages from the Voconix history.
IVR for restaurants
Guide your callers from the very first call: bookings, private hire, takeaway orders, delivery, menu information and allergen details.
Events voicemail
For group bookings and private hire enquiries: please ask your customers to provide their contact details and preferred date so we can get back to them promptly.
The 100% stand-alone system for your restaurant
Choose the voice, music and text, then create your restaurant’s telephone greeting straight away, without needing a recording studio.
The pricing
Free
€84 /year
(10,000 titles)
€180 /year
FAQ: Restaurant
Take a look at our FAQs and find the answers to your questions
Why is the way a restaurant answers the phone important?
A restaurant receives dozens of calls a day, often during service when no one is available to answer the phone. A professional telephone service that directs customers to the online booking system, informs them when the restaurant is fully booked whilst suggesting alternatives, and advises on suitable times will keep customers on the line, whereas a generic message will drive them away.
How do you announce that the venue is fully booked when answering the phone?
Don’t just say «we’re fully booked». Let them know when the next available slots are and direct them to your TheFork or La Fourchette page. Example: «We’re fully booked tonight. Tables are available on Thursday and Friday. Book via TheFork.» A customer who is directed to an alternative option is still a customer.
How should you handle calls whilst on duty?
Your telephone greeting should state that the team is on duty, direct callers to the online booking system and specify when to call back to speak to someone directly. With Voconix, this message is updated within a few seconds depending on the time slots.
Should we use a different message for festivals and events?
Yes. For New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, a message highlighting your special menu and remaining availability creates a sense of urgency and encourages bookings. This message should be drafted a few weeks before the event.
How should requests for private lines be handled by the telephone reception service?
Direct customers to an email address or a dedicated events contact: «To enquire about booking a private event, please leave your name and telephone number. Our events manager will call you back within 24 hours.» This helps to ensure that large groups are not lost during service.
What sort of voice should a restaurant use for its telephone greeting?
What sort of hold music should a restaurant play?
Music that matches the atmosphere of your restaurant: jazz for a Parisian bistro, classical for a fine-dining restaurant, world music for an Ethiopian restaurant. The Voconix catalogue features over 10,000 tracks, so you can find the music that reflects your identity.
How do you set up a restaurant telephone greeting with Voconix?
Write your text on voconix.fr, select a voice and some music, then generate the audio file with a single click. The file is automatically sent to your telephone installer. The first message is completely free.
How can you quickly update your telephone greeting between departments?
From your account Voconix, edit your text, regenerate the audio file and send it to your installer in a matter of seconds. Ideal for announcing that the venue is fully booked that very evening or updating availability following a cancellation.
How much does it cost to set up a telephone reception service for a restaurant?
The first message is completely free on voconix.fr, without a credit card. Packages tailored to restaurants are available from €5 (excl. VAT) per month. See prices.
