AI in hospitality: which tasks to automate first
Updated
Across the 14 million US jobs in hospitality and food service, the work scores 28 of 100 for AI exposure, weighted by how many people do each job. AI can take on about 457 hours a year per full-time person, 23% of a working year. The task that frees the most hours across the industry is to request and record customer orders, about 68 hours a year for each person who does it.
- AI exposure, weighted by employment
- 28 out of 100 Low exposure
- Hours AI can take on
- 457 hours a year per full-time person
- Task time AI can do today
- 8% AI speeds up another 30%
Tasks to automate first
The 15 tasks where AI can take on the most hours across hospitality and food service: how exposed each task is, how much of the job it takes and how many people do that job. Hours are per person in the role that does the task. How we score each task.
| Task and who does it | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Request and record customer orders, and compute bills, using cash registers, multi-counting machines, or pencil and paper. Kiosks and voice AI already record orders and totals. Done by fast food workers. | 70% AI can do it 68 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Monitor and order supplies or food items, and restock as necessary to maintain inventory. Forecasting and reorder software helps; physical counting and restocking remain. Done by fast food workers. | 55% AI helps 51 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes. POS systems already itemize and total checks automatically. Done by waiters. | 85% AI can do it 78 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Balance receipts and payments in cash registers. Software reconciles totals, but counting physical cash stays manual. Done by fast food workers. | 50% AI helps 48 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary. Kiosks and card terminals automate most; cash needs hands. Done by fast food workers. | 40% AI helps 39 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff. Voice and tablet tools can capture and transmit orders. Done by waiters. | 60% AI helps 57 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints. Chat and phone AI handle routine questions; complaints need people. Done by fast food workers. | 35% AI helps 34 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request. Assistants can answer menu questions; presenting stays in person. Done by waiters. | 55% AI helps 48 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Take customers' orders and write ordered items on tickets, giving ticket stubs to customers when needed to identify filled orders. Kiosks and voice AI already capture orders onto tickets. Done by fast food workers. | 65% AI can do it 28 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Explain how various menu items are prepared, describing ingredients and cooking methods. Assistants can summarize recipes and ingredients; allergens need kitchen check. Done by waiters. | 55% AI helps 45 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Take orders from patrons for food or beverages. Ordering apps help, but taking requests is live conversation. Done by waiters. | 40% AI helps 37 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Collect payments from customers. Pay at table apps handle card payments; cash still manual. Done by disc jockeys, waiters. | 35% AI helps 33 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Assist host or hostess by answering phones to take reservations or to-go orders, and by greeting, seating, and thanking guests. Booking bots can take reservations; greeting and seating stay physical. Done by waiters. | 40% AI helps 32 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Provide guests with information about local areas, including directions. Maps and AI can give directions; delivering info is conversational. Done by waiters. | 45% AI helps 30 hours a year for each person in the role |
| Inform customers of daily specials. Specials text can be drafted, but delivering them is verbal. Done by waiters. | 35% AI helps 29 hours a year for each person in the role |
What stays with people
62% of the task time across these roles needs a person, and the output of the rest still needs someone to check it. The tasks below take the most of that time.
- 8% AI can do it
- 30% AI helps
- 62% Needs a person
- Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food. Fast food workers, 12% exposed
- Serve food, beverages, or desserts to customers in such settings as take-out counters of restaurants or lunchrooms, business or industrial establishments, hotel rooms, and cars. Fast food workers, 10% exposed
- Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary. Fast food workers, 5% exposed
- Brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with requested beverages. Fast food workers, 10% exposed
- Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas. Fast food workers, 5% exposed
Adoption path
Start with the tasks where AI helps a person, then automate the routine ones, then give whole workflows to agents with a person approving the output.
Teams in this industry
The business functions in hospitality and food service, by share of the workforce, with each one's exposure.
Roles in hospitality and food service
The 20 largest roles, each linked to its task-by-task score. Shares come from the BLS industry staffing estimates, May 2025. Of the roles with at least 2% of the jobs, cashiers score highest at 43, dishwashers lowest at 8.
- Fast food workers, 23.8% of the workforce, score 24 out of 100
- Waiters, 14.7% of the workforce, score 31 out of 100
- Cooks, 9.3% of the workforce, score 23 out of 100
- Food service supervisors, 7.3% of the workforce, score 41 out of 100
- Fast food cooks, 4.4% of the workforce, score 21 out of 100
- Bartenders, 4.2% of the workforce, score 26 out of 100
- Food preparation workers, 3.7% of the workforce, score 17 out of 100
- Dining room attendants, 3.2% of the workforce, score 10 out of 100
- Maids, 3% of the workforce, score 8 out of 100
- Dishwashers, 2.9% of the workforce, score 8 out of 100
- Hosts, 2.9% of the workforce, score 41 out of 100
- Cashiers, 2.4% of the workforce, score 43 out of 100
- Hotel desk clerks, 1.8% of the workforce, score 54 out of 100
- General managers, 1.5% of the workforce, score 44 out of 100
- Food service managers, 1.4% of the workforce, score 41 out of 100
- Route drivers, 1.2% of the workforce, score 30 out of 100
- Chefs, 1.1% of the workforce, score 36 out of 100
- Maintenance workers, 0.9% of the workforce, score 21 out of 100
- Janitors, 0.8% of the workforce, score 14 out of 100
- Short order cooks, 0.8% of the workforce, score 20 out of 100
Questions about AI in hospitality
Which tasks should a hotel or restaurant automate first?
The first task to automate is to request and record customer orders (70% exposed). Next come the tasks to monitor and order supplies or food items (55%) and to prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes (85%). Together they free the most hours across the industry.
How many hours can AI save a hotel or restaurant?
About 457 hours a year per full-time person, 23% of a 2,000-hour working year. For a team of 10 that is about 4,570 hours, the time of 2.3 full-time people. The figure is the share of task time AI can remove today, weighted by how many people do each job.
Which roles in a hotel or restaurant are most exposed to AI?
Of the roles with at least 2% of the jobs, cashiers score highest, at 43 of 100, and dishwashers lowest, at 8. Each role's page lists its tasks one by one.
Will AI replace jobs in hospitality and food service?
AI can do 8% of the task time across these roles today. Another 30% gets faster with AI while a person stays in charge. 62% needs a person. One task that stays with people is to serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
Where should a hotel or restaurant start with AI?
With the quick wins: approved assistants for the tasks AI helps with, under a written AI policy. Then automate the 3 tasks on this page AI can do end to end. An AI audit maps the tasks in your team and ranks them the same way this page does.
Next steps
Find the tasks to automate first in your team
We map the tasks in your business, score each one the way this page does and build the automations that pay back first.