Yelp Adds AI Agents for Calls and Waitlists

Yelp expands its Assistant with agentic functions capable of calling restaurants, checking wait times, and placing customers on waitlists. The integration with OpenTable and new customization options, including programmable reminders and weather considerations, enhance the tool launched in 2024.

Customization extends to reminders, history, and weather

Yelp introduces the Keep Me Posted feature, which allows users to schedule personalized reminders based on their schedules. For example, users can receive suggestions for weekend outings every Thursday or, once a month, ideas for dog-friendly hikes. The assistant also tailors its recommendations by considering previous conversations and Yelp review history, suggesting other vegan restaurants if that topic has been discussed recently. When making a reservation, the app can check local weather forecasts to avoid booking a patio in case of rain. Additionally, the My Lists feature allows users to save, organize, and highlight their favorite local businesses, enabling Yelp to provide more targeted recommendations based on these lists.

Automated calls, waitlists, and integrated reservations

Yelp's assistant is enhanced with an agent called Check for Me, which can call restaurants to check real-time wait times and send updates via SMS within minutes. Yelp Assistant now works with OpenTable, granting access to thousands of restaurants across the United States. The assistant can provide recommendations on specific categories, such as dog-friendly cafes, and help make reservations. With Yelp Waitlist, users can join a queue before arriving at the restaurant, with the assistant notifying them when their table is ready. The tool also retains the ability to book tables directly.

Market context and the trajectory of Yelp's assistant

Other personal agents, such as Meta Muse and OpenAI Dots, have recently been launched, while Google continues to integrate agentic AI into its booking and planning services. Meanwhile, reports indicate that businesses are receiving an increasing number of calls and emails generated by bots, and human customers now have to compete with AI agents for reservations. Yelp is deploying a new AI tool to manage calls and check wait times, further deepening its use of agentic artificial intelligence. Akhil Kuduvalli Ramesh, product director at Yelp, presents this update as a further step in transforming Yelp through AI, covering uses ranging from table reservations to hiring professionals for home projects. Yelp had launched an updated version of its assistant a few months prior, following an initial launch in 2024.