Sure, ChatGPT is useful for writing a quick email. It’s great if you need software coding done in seconds flat. And it’s sort of passable if you have to give the speech at a wedding and you have no idea what to write.
But is it useful for your restaurant? Can ChatGPT help ease the workload for your employees, improve the customer experience, and perhaps even infuse your team with a little more creative juice? It can, if you know how to use it.
It’s important to point out right up front that ChatGPT has plenty of limitations. The best AI tools for restaurants are likely already built into your tech stack (more on that later). But using ChatGPT for restaurants is fast, easy, and totally free (though you can subscribe and pay for access to more advanced tools).
The point is, ChatGPT can be useful. And if you’re new to the whole AI thing, it’s also an easy way to get acquainted.
So let’s get acquainted.
A company called OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. ChatGPT was the first practical AI tool to become widely available to everyday consumers. It launched a frenzy of adoption, imitation, and experimentation. In just the few years since, this form of “generative AI” has gone from eye-opening innovation to total proliferation.
But let’s make sure we understand exactly what ChatGPT is. Generative AI is not the kind of artificial intelligence that can “think” or even create new ideas. That’s because it operates using something called a Large Language Model (LLM).
This type of AI is trained on a massive amount of previously written content. It uses this content to answer your questions based on the most likely combination of words. So the writing can be redundant. In addition, ChatGPT still depends on human beings to come up with novel ideas. These two things are very important to remember.
That said, LLMs — including ChatGPT’s two closest competitors, Claude and Gemini — are now everywhere. We don’t even have to seek them out. These tools are embedded in our search engine results, our email platforms, our design tools, and our customer service.
The AI revolution is already well underway in the restaurant industry. Anybody who was at this year’s National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago knows it. And according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2026 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, one in four restaurant operators say they are already actively using AI.
But that number should probably be higher. That’s because, whether you know it or not, AI-powered tools are already working for you through your:
But in each of these examples, AI is working behind the scenes to deliver output such as data-driven insights, precise demand forecasting, and intuitive staff scheduling. Using ChatGPT for restaurants is a little different.
With ChatGPT, the AI is no longer operating behind the scenes. It’s sharing the stage with your staff. That’s because ChatGPT is better as a collaborative tool, rather than as a way of automating work. This technology is at its best when your people are still running the show.
Think of ChatGPT as a highly functional entry-level assistant. Delegate tasks to it, but always check its work. That said, most restaurant operators could use a highly functional entry-level assistant.
A Deloitte survey asked restaurant operators to identify the three biggest benefits of using AI in restaurants. Here are some of their answers:
As it turns out, ChatGPT can assist in a lot of these areas. Below, we’ll narrow it down to a few of the most practical and accessible ways you can use ChatGPT for your restaurant.
Should you be using ChatGPT in your restaurant? That depends on what your needs are. But if you’re just beginning to explore the possibilities of AI for restaurants, ChatGPT is a very affordable and accessible starting point.
Here are a few ways operators are already using ChatGPT for restaurants:
Posting fresh, interesting social media content can feel like a full-time job. Of course, running the restaurant is your actual full-time job. So any help you can get creating posts for your Instagram and Facebook accounts is valuable. ChatGPT can be helpful with social media marketing in a few ways.
Obviously, you know that ChatGPT can just do all the writing for you. You can ask ChatGPT to write your next 100 social media posts in mere seconds. But there is a pretty big catch. If you just let ChatGPT do it for you, everybody will know. Your posts will feel generic and inauthentic.
Social media marketing only works if it feels like a true reflection of your unique brand and identity. It’s up to you to prompt ChatGPT by loading it with information about what you want:
The more specific you are with ChatGPT, the more detailed, unique, and relevant the writing will be. And don’t hesitate to edit the writing if it doesn’t feel genuine. You won’t hurt the robot’s feelings.
In fact, ChatGPT can be a pretty good creative partner. For instance, if you’d rather write the posts yourself, you can just ask ChatGPT to help you brainstorm some ideas and take it from there.
While we’re on the subject of good creative partners, check out our brand new, totally free, fresh-out-of-the-box social media post generator, where you can upload your own photos and get unique, instantly generated, Instagram-ready captions for your pics.
ChatGPT can also be a good tool for menu optimization. The way you present your menu can have a profound effect on the choices your customers make. That includes everything from design and layout to the language you use to describe your dishes.
ChatGPT can actually help you with all of these elements. You can request appetizing and interesting descriptions of individual food items. You can ask ChatGPT to suggest a menu layout that highlights your more profitable items. You can even load your entire menu into ChatGPT and request a few different variations on the physical design of the page.
But I would caution that using ChatGPT is not the same as using a data-driven approach to menu engineering. To restate an important point — ChatGPT’s responses are based on language training as opposed to data analysis. These responses are not scientific. So it’s best to take ChatGPT’s responses for what they are — potentially helpful suggestions.
Again, think of ChatGPT as a creative assistant without feelings. Use the ideas you like, and discard the ones you don’t.
We’ve talked a lot recently about the rising popularity of AI phone answering systems. As this technology becomes more effective and affordable, restaurants are becoming more comfortable delegating phone answering to AI. And as voice AI becomes better at answering questions, completing orders, and sounding more conversational, consumers are getting more comfortable with it as well.
However, many (or most) of your customers are probably online. They prefer to visit your website when they want to order for delivery, book reservations, and find quick answers to their questions. ChatGPT is great at delivering quick answers and capable of routing inquiries.
That’s why a lot of the best order and delivery platforms feature chatbots that are powered by ChatGPT on their websites and mobile apps. A ChatGPT-powered chatbot can be trained specifically with information about your menu, hours of operation, specials, and more. And it can provide your online customers with the same 24/7 responsiveness that you’ll get with AI phone answering.
As I’ve noted, ChatGPT is not the perfect tool. But it is useful, accessible, and cost-effective. If you’re just looking to dip a toe in the shallow end of the AI pool, ChatGPT is a pretty safe place to start.
But don’t let that stop you from exploring more advanced ways of using AI for restaurants. A lot of vendors out there are doing exciting and innovative things with this rapidly advancing technology. The right tech for your restaurant really depends on your individual needs. Download our Restaurant Tech Start Kit to learn more.