Now hiring: hospitable voice bots
Customer story
Flour + Water saw an added increase in reservations by 20% as well.
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Case Study
Flour + Water has long been a standard-bearer in San Francisco’s restaurant scene, known for its handmade pasta and commitment to exceptional service. But like many restaurants, the operational model changed dramatically after COVID. One major shift? They stopped staffing a dedicated person at the host stand.
With no one consistently available to answer the phone, an essential channel of guest communication started to break down. Calls about reservations, large parties, and general inquiries were routinely missed. And in a world where 63% of guests say calling is still their preferred method of contacting a restaurant, this created a real problem.
Before Hostie, Flour + Water relied on a mix of automated voicemail messages and email redirection to field guest inquiries. As Amanda Flores, Director of Operations at Flour + Water Hospitality Group, explained to Expedite, the team initially used an extended recorded message to cover everything from hours to dietary restrictions:
“During COVID, we had a set voice message on our phone line… but that’s not what people are looking for. It answered our most common questions, but it was missing that hospitality piece.”
Before the pandemic, Flour + Water had admin staff and an office team who would pick up the phone during business hours—but not during peak dinner service, when guests needed it most. Bringing that coverage back post-COVID simply wasn’t financially viable:
“We want to pay people fairly, and labor in restaurants is already such a high percentage of our operating costs. It was impossible to bring back the position of someone sitting in a room answering phones.”
This left the team in a tough spot: either stretch their already lean staff to answer calls in the middle of service, or risk leaving thousands of dollars in revenue—and countless guest experiences—on the table.
In mid-2024, Flour + Water partnered with Hostie, an AI-powered phone concierge designed for restaurants. Trained on hospitality language and real-world guest behavior, Hostie listens, understands, and responds just like a seasoned host—24/7.
What stood out to Amanda wasn’t just the tech, but the hospitality it delivered:
“We didn’t want our guests to suffer more from speaking to a robot. We pushed off the decision for a while… but just four weeks in, we had over 1,300 phone calls resolved through AI.”
Hostie doesn’t just answer questions—it creates operational breathing room and a better experience for both guests and staff.
Hostie now fields the most common types of calls Flour + Water receives:
“We didn’t realize how lucky we are to have such a high call volume, because we weren’t answering phones. Everyone, including Hostie, was surprised at the actual volume.”
With AI handling the bulk of routine calls, staff can now focus on what really matters: delivering an excellent in-person experience.
“Fewer people walk in frustrated and the host gets to spend more time with people who are stoked to be here. People are getting quicker responses from AI, and that makes them more open to the technology.”
And when a call can’t be fully resolved? Hostie sends a follow-up text and logs the issue for the team, so nothing falls through the cracks.
Without a dedicated host, the team had to find a new way to maintain hospitality standards without compromising efficiency. Hostie has enabled their staff to be more flexible—now, a floor manager floats throughout the dining room and greets guests at the door, rather than being tied to a phone or podium.
From voicemail purgatory to AI-powered hospitality, Flour + Water’s phone experience is no longer a pain point—it’s a strength. Hostie helps them deliver the same warmth and professionalism over the phone that guests expect in person.
“It’s been a really nice change. We’ve curated how to work an AI system for a really busy restaurant.”
Interested in hearing more about Hostie? Book a demo today.
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