Case Study
How a Popular Toronto Restaurant Used Voice AI Technology to Generate $25,520 in Reservations in One Month
For busy restaurants, the phone is both a lifeline and a pain point. Every ring is a potential guest — but during peak service, calls often go unanswered, texts fall through the cracks, and opportunities vanish. In an industry where margins are razor thin, those missed connections add up fast, and voice AI for restaurants can help.
The Carbon Bar, one of Toronto's most iconic smokehouse restaurants, faced this reality head-on. Known for its Southern-inspired BBQ, craft cocktails, and high-energy service, the downtown hotspot is a go-to for groups, celebrations, and events. But as the restaurant's popularity grew, so did the challenge of managing guest communications.
The Carbon Bar isn't just another Toronto restaurant — it's an experience. With roots in Southern smokehouse traditions and a Toronto twist, the restaurant has become a destination for lively nights out, large groups, and private events. Guests come for the brisket and bourbon, but stay for the energy: a mix of great food, inventive cocktails, and service that keeps the dining room buzzing.
The Challenge
Behind the scenes, however, the front-of-house team was stretched thin. Phones rang during dinner rushes, texts pinged at random times, and managers struggled to track who had replied and what had been promised. The issues were clear:
- Guest requests lived across personal devices and ad-hoc channels
- Managers had limited visibility into who replied (and what was promised)
- Missed calls meant missed bookings, catering leads, and frustrated guests
- Staff were pulled off the floor to hunt for information or return calls
The Solution
Tablevoice at the host stand
The Carbon Bar turned to Tablevoice — built specifically for restaurants to capture every guest interaction. The Inbox lives on the restaurant’s iPad, giving the front-of-house team one shared platform for all communications.
24/7 reservations
Always available to take bookings and secure high-intent demand.
One shared inbox
Voice and messages (SMS) logged in one place for the whole team.
On-brand replies
Staff respond from the iPad in the restaurant’s tone of voice.
Clear ownership
See who’s handling each thread; managers can reassign as needed.
Large-party routing
Private dining and catering inquiries are triaged to the right teammate fast.
Full audit trail
Conversation history and outcomes are time-stamped and searchable.
Tablevoice's Team Inbox is helping our team stay on top of complex requests coming into our busy restaurant. We no longer write notes on post its and now stay on track of all revenue opportunities for The Carbon Bar.
- Kayvan Ismaili, General Manager
Watch the owner of The Carbon Bar speak about Tablevoice
IMPACT
What changed?
More captured demand: Fewer missed calls -> more tables held (including after hours).
Faster group bookings: Private-dining requests reach the right person immediately, accelerating back-and-forth and locking in dates sooner.
Happier teams: Hosts stay focused on guests in the room; no more juggling phones.
Manager visibility: Volume, response speed, and outcomes are easy to review and coach.
The impact in 30 days
The results spoke for themselves. In the first month alone, The Carbon Bar recovered $25,520 in reservations that would have otherwise gone unbooked. By improving follow-up on catering and large-party requests, the restaurant also increased conversion on high-value events. Just as importantly, the team gained back 15 hours each month that were previously lost to juggling phone calls and texts. Instead, that time went back to what matters most: delivering unforgettable hospitality in the dining room.
In reservations booked through Tablevoice in the first month
Hours saved juggling phone calls and texts
Booked over the holiday season