# Yelp adds AI agent that calls restaurants to check wait times

- Published: 2026-10-20T11:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T10:05:08.438Z
- Section: AI in practice
- Topics: Agents, Productivity
- Page: https://aidailyjournal.com/en/n/2026/10/20/yelp-adds-ai-agent-that-calls-restaurants-to-check-wait-times/
- Sources: [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/yelp-can-now-call-on-your-behalf-to-check-wait-times-at-a-restaurant)

## Summary

Yelp is adding Check for Me to its app: users enter their party size and phone number, and a voice agent calls the restaurant to check the wait time. The result is sent by text to help users decide whether to visit. The company is also updating its AI assistant with OpenTable integration, remembered preferences, 30 days of chat history, custom reminders and “Been Here” and “Want to Go” lists with filters, notes and sharing.

According to TechCrunch, Yelp will start showing weekly personalized recommendations next month and plans to redesign the lists section, add a map view and convert collections into lists later in the year. For businesses, the update introduces Smart Lead Reply, a paid product costing $30 per month that responds to customers and helps qualify leads based on settings defined by the business owner.

## Why it matters (editorial interpretation)

The feature turns a routine task—checking wait times—into an action delegated to a voice agent, with the result sent by text to support the user’s decision. The update also expands Yelp’s role as a personalized assistant and offers businesses a paid tool to respond to and qualify leads according to their own settings.

_Summary written by AI Daily Journal in its own words, based on the sources above. For details, read the original articles._