Yelp’s AI agent calls restaurants to check wait times for you

Yelp has introduced Check for Me, a feature that lets users request an AI agent to call a restaurant and check its current wait time. Users enter their party size and phone number on a restaurant page, and the agent makes the call on their behalf, texting back the results so they can decide whether to visit.

The feature extends the AI-powered voice solution Yelp launched for restaurants and service providers in 2025, bringing it to the consumer side. It follows similar personal assistant services such as Instinct, Fo, and Muse, which let users delegate calls to businesses for support or appointments. Yelp noted that agent-to-agent conversations may occasionally break down when a user’s agent reaches a restaurant’s agent.

Alongside Check for Me, Yelp is updating its AI assistant with OpenTable integration, allowing users to book a restaurant without leaving the app. The assistant now remembers preferences mentioned in previous chats and offers a 30-day chat history in the app, with full history coming soon. Users can also set custom reminders, create “Been Here” and “Want to Go” lists, and share them. In November 2026, Yelp will begin showing weekly personalized recommendations based on saved items and rankings.

For business owners, Yelp launched Smart Lead Reply, a $30-per-month paid product that automatically replies to customers and helps qualify leads. Meta has also been offering similar AI tools to small businesses.