Glossary

Restaurant phone ordering, in plain words

The words owners, staff and phone vendors use, from call forwarding to the pass. One sentence each, with a longer explanation one click away.

86 (eighty-six): 86 means an item is unavailable, so the kitchen should not sell or make it.
AI phone host: An AI phone host answers the restaurant phone, takes orders, and sends the ticket to the kitchen.
AI receptionist: An AI receptionist answers restaurant calls, shares basic information, and routes special requests to staff.
Allergen disclosure: Allergen disclosure is clear information about ingredients that may contain common allergens like nuts, dairy, eggs, wheat, or shellfish.
Answering service: A service that answers your restaurant’s phone and relays messages or orders when your team is busy.
Average order value: Average order value is the typical dollar amount of one order before tax and tip.
Back of house: Back of house is the kitchen and prep area where the food is made.
Call abandonment: Call abandonment happens when a caller gives up before the restaurant answers.
Call forwarding: Call forwarding sends the restaurant’s incoming calls to another phone or phone host.
Call transcript: A call transcript is a written record of what the caller said and what the restaurant replied.
Catering inquiry: A catering inquiry is a call about a larger food order for a group, office, event, or party.
Completed order: A completed order is a confirmed phone order that is sent to the kitchen for prep.
Conditional call forwarding: Conditional call forwarding sends calls only when the line is busy, unanswered, or not available.
Covers: Covers is the number of people eating in the restaurant, usually used for dine-in rather than takeout.
Curbside pickup: Curbside pickup is when the customer waits in or near the car and the order is brought out to them.
Delivery commission: Delivery commission is the fee a restaurant pays on each delivery order handled by a third-party app.
Expo: Expo is the person or station that checks finished food and sends it out to the guest.
First-party ordering: First-party ordering is when customers order directly from the restaurant, not through a marketplace app.
Front of house: Front of house is the customer-facing part of the restaurant, like hosts, cashiers, and servers.
Ghost kitchen: A ghost kitchen is a delivery-only restaurant that cooks food without a dining room.
Google Business Profile: Google Business Profile is the public listing that shows your restaurant’s hours, address, menu details, and phone number on Google.
Hold time: Hold time is how long a caller waits on the phone before someone answers.
IVR (phone menu): IVR is a phone menu that asks callers to press numbers for different options.
Kitchen display system (KDS): A kitchen display system shows incoming orders on a screen instead of printing paper tickets.
Missed call: A missed call is a call that rings the restaurant but is not answered before the caller hangs up.
Modifier: A modifier is a change to an item, like size, topping, sauce, or cooking style.
Number porting: Number porting means moving your existing phone number to a new phone provider or phone system.
Order throttling: Order throttling is limiting how many phone orders you accept at once so the kitchen does not get overwhelmed.
Order ticket: An order ticket is the written or digital slip that tells the kitchen what to make.
Pay-per-order pricing: Pay-per-order pricing means you pay only when a phone order is completed and sent to the kitchen.
Per-minute billing: Per-minute billing means you pay based on how long a call lasts, not just whether an order was taken.
POS (point of sale): A POS is the system your restaurant uses to ring in orders, payments, and receipts.
Read-back: Read-back is when the phone host repeats the order so the caller can confirm it before the ticket goes to the kitchen.
Ready time (quote time): Ready time is the time you tell the caller their order should be ready for pickup or delivery.
Rush (dinner rush): Rush is the busiest stretch of service, when the phone rings more and the kitchen is under pressure.
Takeout: Takeout is food ordered by phone for pickup at the restaurant, not eaten in the dining room.
The pass: The pass is the counter or shelf where finished food waits before it goes to the guest.
Third-party delivery: Third-party delivery is when another company delivers the restaurant’s food and usually takes a commission.
Ticket time: Ticket time is the time an order is sent to the kitchen screen and starts the prep clock.
Unconditional call forwarding: Unconditional call forwarding sends all calls to another number without ringing the original phone first.
Upsell: An upsell is a helpful offer that adds value, like a side, drink, or larger size.
Virtual receptionist: A virtual receptionist is a remote phone helper who answers calls, greets guests, and handles simple requests for your restaurant.
Voice ordering: Voice ordering lets callers place a food order by speaking instead of pressing buttons or using a web form.
VoIP: VoIP is phone service that carries calls over the internet instead of a traditional phone line.
Warm handoff: A warm handoff is when the phone host passes a call to staff with a short summary attached.

Hear your own phone host in a minute.

Paste your link, call it from your browser, keep it if you like it. $0.90 per completed order, nothing otherwise.

Build my phone host Talk to us