Zest launches AI agent that recommends restaurants and books tables by text

Zest launched a personal AI concierge that works through text messages. Users can request recommendations by cuisine, occasion, dietary restrictions or neighborhood, ask questions about restaurants, receive menus and check available reservation times through services such as OpenTable, Resy and SevenRooms. The concierge can be reached at (212) 470-6067; it can also be added to group chats, where it combines participants’ tastes, runs a vote and books the selected table without leaving the conversation.

The company uses food-and-drink transaction data imported through Plaid to create personalized recommendations, and CEO Mario Gomez-Hall says this lets the agent start from users’ actual history instead of starting from scratch. In TechCrunch’s tests, the tool offered suggestions matched to preferences, time of day, party size and location. Zest says bookings and food orders will be revenue sources and is considering expanding the service to businesses, shopping and other categories.