Best AI Phone Ordering for Pizza Restaurants: How VIA 313 is scaling growth with Kea AI
Senior Product Manager | Brand Experience
When a fast-growing pizza chain raises $32.5 million and expands to 23+ locations, they face a problem most restaurant operators know all too well: how do you maintain quality service when your phone won't stop ringing?
VIA 313, a Detroit-style fast casual concept, has partnered with Kea, a conversational AI company for restaurants, to manage phone orders across its more than 23 locations. They've deployed the industry's leading AI voice technology to handle 100% of their phone orders across all locations. Not 50%. Not "during peak hours." All of them.
VIA 313's signature Detroit-style pizzas showcase the complex customizations and quality that customers expect when calling in orders
This isn't just another tech adoption story. It's a blueprint for how smart restaurant operators are solving one of the industry's most persistent challenges with the best AI phone ordering solution available.
The Phone Order Problem Every Growing Chain Faces
Let me paint you a picture. You're running a successful pizza concept. Business is booming. You just closed a massive funding round and you're expanding rapidly.
Then reality hits.
As regional chains scale rapidly, they often face new operational hurdles, including high volumes of phone orders with limited front-of-house staff. Phone calls are interrupting in-person service. Orders are getting mixed up. Customers are hanging up because no one can answer. Your carefully crafted hospitality experience is falling apart under the weight of your own success.
Sound familiar?
Pizza is one of the most call-heavy categories in the restaurant industry, with billions in sales coming through to-go orders, according to Kea AI's CEO Adam Ahmad. Unlike other fast casual segments where mobile ordering dominates, pizza customers still love to call and customize their orders.
VIA 313's president put it perfectly: "No matter how big we grow, every community we serve deserves the same warm, attentive experience."
But how do you deliver that when you're scaling from 23 locations to who knows how many?
Why Traditional Solutions Don't Work
Most growing chains try to solve this problem in predictable ways:
- Hire more staff - Expensive, hard to find, inconsistent training
- Push customers to digital - Works for some, but you lose the personal touch that phone customers want
- Accept the chaos - Let service quality slide and hope customers don't notice
None of these options are sustainable for a brand that's serious about maintaining quality while scaling.
The challenge isn't just volume. It's consistency. How do you ensure that a customer calling your Austin location gets the same experience as someone calling your Dallas location? How do you maintain your brand voice across dozens of locations with hundreds of different employees?
The AI Solution That Actually Works
Here's what makes VIA 313's approach different. They didn't just implement any AI solution. They partnered with Kea AI, the industry's leading voice AI technology that's specifically built for restaurants.
Kea's voice AI now handles 100% of VIA 313's inbound calls, taking orders with a tone and script tailored to the brand's hospitality. It knows their menu inside and out. It can handle complex customizations. And it integrates directly with their POS system for seamless order processing.
But here's the key insight: this isn't about replacing human connection. It's about enhancing it.
By taking phone orders off their staff's plates, VIA 313's team can focus entirely on the customers standing right in front of them, enhancing the brand's family-style experience.
The Numbers That Matter
Let's talk specifics. Kea AI, the solution they implemented, boasts industry-leading performance metrics:
- 99.3% order accuracy rate - Better than most human operators. No human in the loop needed.
- 100% call answer rate - No more missed orders
- Under 30 minute onboarding - New locations can be live almost immediately
For a chain that's expanding rapidly, that last point is crucial. Traditional phone systems require hiring, training, and managing staff at every new location. This approach lets them maintain consistency from day one.
What This Means for the Industry
VIA 313's move signals something bigger happening in fast casual. The most successful brands are realizing that AI isn't about cutting costs (though it does that). It's about scaling quality.
When you can guarantee that every phone interaction matches your brand standards, you remove one of the biggest variables in the customer experience. You can focus your human staff on what they do best while technology handles the routine interactions.
This is particularly relevant for pizza chains, but the principle applies across categories. Any restaurant that takes significant phone volume should be paying attention.
Learn more about how other successful restaurants are implementing AI solutions in our interview with John Merrells, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Kea.
The Integration Reality
One thing that impressed me about this implementation is the technical sophistication. The AI integrates with more than 11 point-of-sale systems, including Toast, Square, and Clover. This isn't some bolt-on solution that creates more work for operators.
It plugs directly into existing workflows. Orders flow seamlessly into the kitchen. Payment processing works exactly like before. Staff don't need to learn new systems or change their routines.
This is how restaurant technology should work: invisible to operations, obvious in results.
For restaurants looking to understand how AI can transform their operations, check out our case study on how a "Cashier in the Cloud" helped Newk's Eatery customers and cashiers.
Looking Forward
VIA 313's partnership represents more than just operational efficiency. It's a competitive advantage.
While their competitors are struggling with inconsistent phone service and overwhelmed staff, VIA 313 can guarantee that every customer gets the same high-quality experience. They can scale without the typical growing pains that plague expanding restaurant brands.
As VIA 313's president noted: "Partnering with Kea gives us the confidence to scale without sacrificing service; it's like having a super-reliable team member on every shift."
For other fast casual operators watching this space, the message is clear: AI voice technology has moved from experimental to essential. The brands that adopt it first will have a significant advantage in both customer experience and operational efficiency.
The question isn't whether this technology will become standard in the industry. It's whether you'll be an early adopter or play catch-up later.
To see how other successful brands are leveraging AI technology, read about how Olo and Kea are digitizing hospitality and scaling restaurants.
FAQ
How accurate is AI for taking restaurant orders?
Kea AI achieves a 99.3% order accuracy rate, which typically exceeds human performance, especially during busy periods when staff are rushed or distracted. This makes it the most accurate solution available for restaurant phone ordering.
Can AI handle complex pizza customizations?
Yes, Kea AI is specifically trained on menu items and can handle complex customizations, special requests, and dietary restrictions just like a human operator would. The system learns your entire menu and adapts to constantly changing offerings.
How quickly can a restaurant implement AI phone ordering?
With Kea AI, new locations can be onboarded in under an hour. The AI integrates directly with existing POS systems, requiring minimal setup and no new hardware.
Does using AI for phone orders hurt the customer experience?
When implemented properly, AI enhances the customer experience by ensuring every call is answered promptly with consistent, accurate service. It also allows human staff to focus more attention on in-person customers, improving the overall dining experience.
What types of restaurants benefit most from AI phone ordering?
Pizza restaurants and other fast casual concepts with high phone order volumes see the biggest impact, as pizza is one of the most call-heavy categories in the restaurant industry. Any restaurant where phone orders represent a significant portion of sales can benefit from this technology.
How does Kea AI compare to other voice ordering solutions?
Kea AI stands out as the industry leader with over 30 brands and millions in revenue driven for restaurants. The company has served over 1,000,000 guests and has raised $33M from investors, making it the most established and well-funded solution in the market.
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