Yelp is expanding its AI features with a tool that can contact restaurants on a user's behalf. Called Check for Me, the feature lets customers enter their party size and phone number on a restaurant's page. Yelp's voice agent then calls to ask about wait times and sends the answer by text.
The update also adds new ways to plan and book through Yelp's AI assistant. An OpenTable integration will let users make restaurant reservations without leaving the app. The assistant can also remember preferences shared in earlier chats, while users can revisit recent conversations and ask for recurring reminders, such as weekend activity ideas.
Yelp is introducing customizable lists, beginning with "Been Here" and "Want to Go." Users can organize saved places by location, category or cuisine, add notes, change the order and share lists. Personalized weekly recommendations based on saved places and ratings are expected to begin next month, with further list and map features planned for later.
For business owners, Yelp is launching Smart Lead Reply, a paid service priced at $30 per month. It allows an AI agent to respond to customer inquiries and help qualify potential leads, with business owners able to set guidelines for how conversations are handled.
By bringing calls, reservations and personalized discovery into one app, Yelp is moving toward a more seamless experience in which AI helps people make everyday plans.
