This is a sample use case featuring a fictional demo bot built to showcase what's possible with Boty. The business described is not real. Try the demo bot yourself.
Cafe Shaked is a small, warmly lit cafe on a quiet street in Tel Aviv. It has 12 tables inside, a handful of seats on the sidewalk, and a loyal neighborhood following that treats it as a second living room. The owner, Shaked, runs the place with a team of three—two baristas and a kitchen hand.
The food is simple and good: shakshuka, fresh salads, sandwiches, pastries baked in-house, and coffee that regulars swear is the best within walking distance. Shaked also hosts occasional live music evenings and poetry readings, and offers catering for small office events and private gatherings.
It is, by every measure, a successful neighborhood cafe. And yet, the phone will not stop ringing with questions that have the same five answers.
If you have ever worked behind a cafe counter, you know the rhythm. A customer is standing in front of you, ready to order. The phone rings. You answer it while mouthing "one second" to the person in front of you. The caller asks: "What time do you close today?"
You answer. You hang up. You take the in-person order. The phone rings again. "Do you have gluten-free options?" You answer. Another order. Another call: "Can I reserve a table for tonight?"
Shaked counted the calls over one week. The cafe received an average of 22 phone calls per day. Here is what people were calling about:
That is 22 interruptions per day. Each call takes 1-3 minutes including the greeting, the question, the answer, and the goodbye. At the midpoint—2 minutes per call—that is 44 minutes per day spent on the phone answering questions that have fixed, unchanging answers.
Forty-four minutes is almost an hour of labor. Over a month, it adds up to roughly 22 hours—more than half a work week—spent telling people the same hours, the same menu items, and the same reservation policy.
But the real cost is not the time. It is the disruption. Every phone call interrupts service for the customer standing at the counter. It breaks the barista's flow. It creates moments where the in-person experience feels secondary to the phone, and that is exactly backward for a cafe that prides itself on warmth and presence.
Shaked set up a Boty bot during a quiet Monday afternoon. It took about 20 minutes to load everything the bot needed to know:
Hours of operation. Sunday through Thursday, 7 AM to 10 PM. Friday, 7 AM to 3 PM. Saturday, 8:30 AM to 11 PM. Holiday hours when applicable.
Full menu. Breakfast items (served until 12 PM): shakshuka (NIS 48), avocado toast (NIS 42), granola bowl (NIS 38), sabich sandwich (NIS 44). Lunch and all-day items: Caesar salad (NIS 46), grilled halloumi sandwich (NIS 44), soup of the day (NIS 32), pasta (NIS 48-54). Pastries: croissant (NIS 16), chocolate babka (NIS 18), homemade cookies (NIS 12). Drinks: espresso (NIS 12), cappuccino (NIS 16), latte (NIS 18), fresh-squeezed juice (NIS 22), smoothies (NIS 26).
Dietary accommodations. A clear list of vegan options (5 items), gluten-free options (4 items), and a note that the kitchen can accommodate most allergies with advance notice. This was one of the most frequently asked phone questions, and now the bot answers it with specific menu items rather than a vague "yes, we have some options."
Reservation policy. Walk-ins are welcome and usually sufficient for groups of 1-4. For groups of 5 or more, reservations are recommended and can be made through the bot. The bot captures the date, time, party size, and contact info, and Shaked confirms within an hour.
Events calendar. Upcoming live music evenings (every other Thursday), poetry readings (first Monday of each month), and any special themed dinners. Links to the Instagram page for event announcements.
Catering information. Available for office meetings and private gatherings. Minimum order of 8 people. Menu options: breakfast spread (NIS 55/person), sandwich platter (NIS 45/person), full brunch (NIS 75/person). Includes setup and disposable tableware. Delivery within Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan included.
Practical details. WiFi available (network name and password), dogs welcome on the sidewalk seating, nearest parking lot (Dizengoff Center, 5-minute walk), stroller-friendly layout inside the cafe.
Shaked shared the bot link on the cafe's Instagram bio, printed the QR code on table tents, and added it to the Google Maps listing. Within a week, the pattern shifted.
The phone still rings—but now it rings about 8-10 times a day instead of 22. The calls that come through are the ones that genuinely need a human: "I want to discuss catering for a specific event," or "I left my jacket at the cafe yesterday."
The bot handles the rest. A typical evening:
Customer (8:15 PM): "Are you still open?"
Bot: "Yes! Cafe Shaked is open until 10 PM tonight. Our address is [street address]. You're welcome to walk in—no reservation needed for groups of 4 or fewer."
Customer (8:20 PM): "Great. Do you have anything gluten-free? My friend has celiac."
Bot: "Absolutely! Here are our gluten-free options: Shakshuka (served without bread, or with gluten-free bread on request), Grilled Halloumi Salad, Granola Bowl (made with GF oats), and Fresh Fruit Plate. Our kitchen is not a certified gluten-free facility, but we take precautions for allergy requests. Let us know when you arrive and we will make sure your friend is taken care of."
That exchange would have been two phone calls, each interrupting a barista mid-pour. Instead, it happened silently in the background while the team focused on the guests who were already there.
Phone volume dropped 55 percent. From 22 calls per day to about 10. The remaining calls are high-value—catering inquiries, event bookings, and personal requests that benefit from a human conversation.
Staff stress decreased noticeably. Both baristas told Shaked the work day feels calmer. They are not constantly choosing between the phone and the customer in front of them. The cafe feels more attentive to its in-person guests because it actually is.
Catering inquiries increased. Somewhat unexpectedly, the bot generated more catering leads than the phone did. Shaked believes this is because people browse the catering menu on the bot at their own pace, see the pricing, and reach out when they are ready. The phone required them to call during business hours and ask a series of questions. The bot lets them explore at midnight from their couch and submit a request.
Reservation no-shows dropped. When the bot confirms a reservation, it sends a clear message: "Your table for 6 is confirmed for Thursday at 7 PM. Please let us know if your plans change." This gentle confirmation reduced no-shows, probably because people felt more committed after an explicit exchange.
Google Maps engagement. Since adding the bot link to the Google Maps listing, Shaked noticed an increase in first-time visitors who mentioned they "chatted with the bot before coming." The bot essentially became a pre-visit concierge—answering questions that might have otherwise kept someone from making the trip.
The restaurant industry runs on thin margins and high volume. Every minute a staff member spends on the phone is a minute they are not spending on the guest experience. And the phone questions are almost always the same: hours, menu, dietary needs, reservations.
These are not complex questions. They do not require creativity, empathy, or judgment. They require accurate information delivered quickly. That is exactly what a bot does.
The human staff can then focus on what they are actually good at: making someone feel welcome, remembering a regular's order, noticing when a table needs water, creating the atmosphere that keeps people coming back.
A bot does not replace hospitality. It removes the interruptions that get in the way of hospitality.
Cafe Shaked's bot is live. Browse the menu, check the hours, or ask about catering.
Running a cafe, restaurant, or food business? Build your own bot and let your staff focus on the guests in front of them.