Restaurant voice AI platform Maple has integrated its technology with Shift4’s SkyTab point-of-sale (POS) system.

The move will enable SkyTab restaurant operators across the US to add 24/7 AI-powered phone ordering capabilities.

The integration embeds Maple’s voice AI technology within SkyTab, aiming to reduce the number of unanswered calls and the resulting loss of potential restaurant sales.

According to a Maple statement, the integration enables “deployment in minutes”, unlike typical AI phone systems that can take “weeks of menu programming and configuration”.

Maple founder and CEO Aidan Chau said: “Restaurant owners constantly tell us that they can't afford to hire dedicated phone staff, but they also can't afford to miss calls.

“Partnering with Shift4 allows us to bring AI phone ordering to thousands of SkyTab restaurants with an integration that just works: orders flow straight to the kitchen without extra tablets, duplicate entries, or friction.”

Using its integration with SkyTab, Maple draws on the POS system’s menu records, including products, modifiers, prices and availability.

Maple said that this setup aims to support precise order capture using current data.

Core functions of the combined solution include direct POS integration, live menu synchronisation, integrated payments, multi-location capability and continuous 24/7 operation.

Orders handled by the AI are passed directly into SkyTab’s kitchen systems, avoiding additional hardware or manual data entry.

The Maple platform can also respond to calls beyond ordering, including reservations, catering enquiries, opening hours, directions and other frequently asked questions.

The integration is now available to SkyTab restaurant merchants across the US.

Last December, Maple integrated its automated phone system with OpenTable’s reservation platform.