SoundHound's phone ordering tech has handled more than 100 million customer interactions. It answers phone calls for Chipotle, Red Lobster, Torchy's Tacos, and White Castle. That's a serious track record for any voice AI company. But scale doesn't always mean a good fit for every kitchen.
SoundHound was built to serve massive chains with dedicated tech teams and big budgets, not the independent spot down the street.
So does that make it the right pick for your restaurant, or a tool designed for someone else entirely?
We looked at what SoundHound actually offers restaurants, who's using it, and where it lines up (or doesn't) with what most venue and restaurant teams need.
What Is SoundHound for Restaurants?
SoundHound AI is a publicly traded voice AI company listed on Nasdaq under SOUN. The company has been working in voice technology for years and now sells conversational AI across restaurants, automotive, retail, finance, healthcare, and other industries.
The brand originally became known for its music-recognition app. Since then, it has expanded into enterprise AI systems that help companies answer questions, process orders, and automate customer interactions.
In August 2024, SoundHound acquired Amelia, an enterprise conversational AI company. That deal expanded SoundHound’s reach across several industries, including finance, insurance, retail, healthcare, automotive, smart devices, and restaurants.
For restaurants, SoundHound offers a suite of voice AI tools. These include phone answering, phone ordering, drive-thru ordering, in-car ordering, kiosks, employee support, and analytics.
That’s a wide product set. It’s also one reason SoundHound feels different from many restaurant phone agents. It’s not just aimed at helping one host stop missing calls. It’s built to support larger restaurant operations with complex ordering channels.
Key Features
SoundHound’s restaurant tools focus on one big pain point: too many guest interactions, and not enough staff time to handle them all.
During peak hours, phone calls, drive-thru orders, menu questions, and food orders can hit at once. That can lead to missed calls, long wait times, order errors, and lost revenue. Here’s how SoundHound tries to solve that problem.
Smart Answering
Smart Answering is SoundHound’s voice AI assistant for inbound phone calls.
Instead of sending callers to voicemail or putting them on hold, the AI voice agent can answer phones and respond to common guest inquiries. That includes questions about hours, location, menu items, order status, and other basic details.
For busy restaurants, this can reduce phone interruptions during peak times. It also helps protect the guest experience when staff shortages make it hard to answer every call.
This feature matters most for high-volume restaurants with lots of repeat questions. For example, a chain location may get the same calls all day:
- “Are you open right now?”
- “Do you take reservations?”
- “Can I place a pickup order?”
- “Where’s my order?”
- “Do you have gluten-free options?”
When an AI agent handles those calls, staff can focus on guests in the dining room. That can support faster service and better customer satisfaction.
Smart Ordering
Smart Ordering lets SoundHound take orders across phone, SMS, and app channels.
The AI voice assistant can take orders, confirm modifications, suggest add-ons, and help complete payment. SoundHound and Square announced a partnership to integrate SoundHound’s conversational AI phone ordering with Square’s POS systems.
For operators comparing tools, this is where SoundHound starts to feel more advanced. It’s not only answering questions. It takes orders and can support average order value through add-ons.
For example, a guest might call to order a burger. The AI assistant could confirm the burger, ask about sides, suggest a drink, and send the order into the POS. That can help with order accuracy and fewer errors. It can also reduce missed orders when staff can’t pick up the phone.
Dynamic Drive-Thru
Dynamic Drive-Thru is one of SoundHound’s biggest restaurant features. It’s built for QSR brands that need faster service in drive-thru lanes. The platform supports voice ordering and other ordering formats, including call-to-order, text-to-order, scan-to-order, and in-car voice ordering.
Drive-thru AI can help with cutting wait times, reducing pressure on staff, and keeping lines moving during peak hours. It can also create more consistent ordering experiences across many locations.
That said, this feature won’t matter to most restaurants without a drive-thru.
Multilingual Support
SoundHound supports multiple languages, which can help restaurants serve a broader customer base. It says its voice AI platform supports 25 popular languages, with plans to expand the language library over time.
Analytics
The platform also includes data and insights from customer interactions. For restaurant operators, that kind of reporting can help show patterns across:
- Call volume
- Peak times
- Common guest questions
- Order behavior
- Missed opportunities
- Add-on performance
That data can support better staffing, stronger customer experience, and smarter operations. For larger brands, it can also help compare performance across each location.
Real-World Proof Points
SoundHound's client list reads like a QSR who's who: Chipotle, Jersey Mike's, Applebee's, Habit Burger, Noodles & Company, Casey's General Stores, Red Lobster, Torchy's Tacos, and White Castle all use some version of its voice agents.
In October 2024, SoundHound announced its phone ordering tech had crossed 100 million customer interactions. That’s a real win, since every answered call is one less missed order.
These aren't small pilots, either. Torchy's Tacos rolled SoundHound out across all 130 of its locations, and Red Lobster deployed it system-wide to help manage guest inquiries and phone orders at scale.
Pricing
SoundHound doesn't publish pricing on its site. It sells through a custom, sales-led process built around enterprise budgets and procurement teams, so you won't find a simple monthly rate to compare against other tools. You will need to contact them for a quote.
Who SoundHound Is Good For
SoundHound makes the most sense for multi-location chains and enterprise QSR brands, especially ones running drive-thru operations with dedicated tech and procurement staff.
If you have the budget and the internal team to manage a long sales cycle, SoundHound's scale and track record are hard to beat.
If you run a single-location restaurant, a small group, or a full-service spot without a drive thru, SoundHound probably isn't the voice AI you're looking for.
SoundHound Pros and Cons for Restaurants
Pros
- Proven at scale with major restaurant brands
- Handles phone, SMS, app, kiosk, in-car, and drive-thru ordering
- Backed by a publicly traded company with deep voice AI experience
- Supports multiple languages
- Can reduce missed calls, phone interruptions, and missed orders
Cons
- No public restaurant pricing
- Built mainly for high-volume chains and QSR brands
- Likely requires a longer sales and setup process
- May be more advanced than most independent restaurants need
The Verdict
SoundHound is a legitimate, well-proven AI phone platform with a client list most tech companies would envy. But proven and right for you aren't always the same thing. If you're running an independent restaurant or a small group, the pricing and setup here probably aren't built with you in mind.
If you're weighing your options more broadly, our guide on the top restaurant voice AI solutions is a good next stop.
Whatever system answers your phones, the real work starts once that call turns into a booking. That's where Perfect Venue comes in. Once an inquiry lands, our platform helps you send proposals, manage the operational details, and keep every event organized from first contact to the big day.
See how Perfect Venue fits into your existing restaurant stack by starting a free trial today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SoundHound a good fit for an independent restaurant?
Probably not. SoundHound's enterprise pricing, sales cycle, and drive-thru focus are built around large chains, not single-location restaurants or small groups.
What POS systems does SoundHound integrate with?
SoundHound has a confirmed, official integration with Square POS. For other POS systems, confirm compatibility directly with SoundHound's sales team before signing anything, since it isn't listed as a standard integration elsewhere.
Does SoundHound only work for drive-thru restaurants?
No. Dynamic Drive-Thru is one part of the suite, but SoundHound also offers Smart Answering and Smart Ordering for phone orders and app orders, which work for restaurants without a drive thru too.
Can SoundHound help reduce missed calls?
Yes, SoundHound’s Smart Answering and Smart Ordering tools can help restaurants answer more phone calls. That can reduce missed calls, missed orders, and lost revenue during peak hours. It can also improve the customer experience when staff can’t answer phones quickly.
