Kea
AI virtual cashier that answers takeout calls, inputs orders into your POS, and upsells complementary menu items.
Visit Kea official website →Overview
Kea, recognized as ‘The Virtual Cashier,’ is an autonomous voice ordering assistant designed specifically for high-volume takeout restaurants, independent pizzerias, and casual dining operators. When customers call to place pickup or delivery orders, Kea answers within two rings, eliminating busy signals and hold times during dinner rushes. The assistant guides callers through current menu selections, applies custom preparation notes, and automatically upsells high-margin appetizers and beverages based on order composition. Featuring a hybrid human-in-the-loop safety net, complex customer inquiries or muffled audio lines bridge seamlessly to remote backup specialists who finalize tickets before injection into POS systems.
Best for
Independent pizzerias, casual dining spots, and takeout-heavy restaurants losing customer orders during dinner rush hours
Key features
- Autonomous phone order taking on the first ring
- Predictive upselling (increases average ticket value by 12–15%)
- Human-in-the-loop backup specialists for complex calls
- Caller ID recognition for fast repeat ordering
- Direct POS integration (Toast, Brink, Revel)
- PCI-compliant SMS mobile payment links
Pricing
Hybrid subscription structure starting around $100–$150/month per location plus a small performance commission per completed order.
Strengths
- Eliminates busy signals and phone hold times during peak service rushes
- Human-in-the-loop safety net prevents lost orders on difficult connections
- Drives measurable revenue growth through automated appetizer and dessert upselling
Considerations
- Hybrid cost model combines a monthly software fee with per-order transaction fees
- Requires structured menu calibration and POS mapping during setup
Alternatives to consider
- SoundHound AI
- Slang.ai
- Smith.ai
Related guides and reviews
Prices and features come from the vendor's official pages where available and are shown with the date they were checked. Details we could not verify are left out or marked as such. Strengths, considerations and alternatives are BizPilotPro editorial content, not vendor statements.