AI Automates 80% of Restaurant Takeout Phone Orders: 'Camel AI Call' Officially Released After Successful Pilots at Katsuya and Hachiban

tacoms Inc. (Headquarters: Meguro-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Seita Miyamoto) officially launched 'Camel AI Call' today, a voice AI service designed to automate takeout phone order reception for restaurants. The service utilizes Large Language Models (LLMs) to handle natural conversations and incorporates patented 'Order Acceptance Judgment Technology' to assess real-time store operations before accepting orders. Accepted orders are automatically synced to POS systems via 'Camel,' a centralized delivery and takeout management service. During beta testing, the service achieved 80% automation of phone takeout orders at the tonkatsu specialty chain 'Katsuya' and the ramen chain 'Hachiban Ramen.'

■ Background and Development
In the restaurant industry, chronic labor shortages combined with the persistence of takeout demand have created a need for simultaneous management of dine-in and off-premise orders. Phone reception is a time-consuming task that prevents staff from performing other duties. During peak hours, this not only burdens staff but also leads to missed calls and decreased service quality. To address these issues, we developed 'Camel AI Call.'

During pilot testing at Katsuya and Hachiban, we focused on improving AI performance, including speech accuracy, response speed, handling of complex requests (e.g., removing ingredients), noise cancellation, real-time cooking time updates, and cross-selling recommendations. As a result, we achieved 80% automation, significantly reducing the operational burden on store staff.

■ Five Key Features of 'Camel AI Call'
1. Natural Conversation via LLM: Customers can order through natural dialogue without dial-pad inputs.
2. 24/7 Multi-Call Handling: The service handles multiple calls simultaneously, ensuring no missed orders during peak times or after hours.
3. High Accuracy via Menu Integration: By referencing menu data in 'Camel,' the AI handles ambiguous orders and options with high precision.
4. Order Acceptance Judgment Technology (Patent No. 7817776): The AI instantly checks store hours, cooking times, and stock status to ensure orders are only accepted when the store can handle them.
5. Full POS/Kitchen Printer Integration: Orders are automatically sent to POS systems and kitchen printers, eliminating manual entry and human error.

■ Comment from Katsuya
Daisuke Tamatsukuri, Assistant Manager, Sales Department, Katsuya Co., Ltd.: 'Reducing the burden of phone reception during peak and off-peak hours was a priority. Camel AI Call has allowed us to automate most phone orders, enabling staff to focus on customer service and cooking.'

■ Future Outlook
We plan to further improve response quality and expand the service to handle other inquiries, such as delivery and reservations, continuing to contribute to operational efficiency and revenue maximization.