Red Lobster, the world’s largest seafood restaurant chain, is turning up the dial on convenience with a new AI-powered phone ordering system powered by SoundHound AI (Nasdaq: SOUN). The rollout, spanning all Red Lobster locations, aims to transform how guests place takeout orders while giving in-restaurant staff more breathing room.
The system leverages SoundHound’s conversational AI to answer multiple calls simultaneously, guide customers through menu selections, and respond instantly to common queries about hours, locations, and menu items. Trained on Red Lobster’s full menu, the voice assistant routes orders directly to the point-of-sale system, reducing errors and freeing employees to focus on delivering hot food and top-notch service.
“At Red Lobster, we are committed to providing the ultimate dining experience for our guests, whether they’re dining in or ordering takeout,” said Larry Konecny, COO of Red Lobster. “With SoundHound’s cutting-edge voice AI, we’re able to streamline the takeout process, making ordering faster and easier. Guests who prefer speaking to a live agent can still do so, but those who want quick, seamless reordering of their favorites now have a smarter option.”
Ben Bellettini, SVP of Restaurant Sales at SoundHound AI, emphasized the broader implications of the collaboration. “Consumers quickly see the benefits of our system, and employees appreciate the extra time to focus on delivering first-rate service. Partnering with a high-profile brand like Red Lobster underscores the growing demand for AI-powered voice ordering in the restaurant industry.”
This move reflects a wider trend in quick-service and casual dining: leveraging AI to streamline operations, reduce human error, and enhance customer convenience. As competitors like Domino’s and Panera have demonstrated, automated ordering can improve efficiency and customer satisfaction, positioning AI as an increasingly standard feature in restaurant technology stacks.
For Red Lobster, the system promises faster, smoother phone orders, improved accuracy, and a better overall guest experience—while giving staff more bandwidth to focus on what humans do best: hospitality.
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