Otto: Australia’s First Ai Ordering Telephone Agent Launches

Otto has been unveiled as Australia’s first Ai ordering telephone agent, with its developers aiming to reshape how restaurants, cafés and catering services handle customer calls.

Calls Straight To The Kitchen

The service, launched nationally this week, is designed to operate around the clock so venues never miss an order or booking. The standalone product works without any apps or integrations, connecting directly to the kitchen through a phone line and printer.

Otto’s arrival comes as hospitality businesses face high staff turnover, resourcing pressures and increasing customer expectations. Research shows 71 per cent of inbound calls to restaurants are revenue-related, with 34 per cent going unanswered.

Founder and CEO, Shannon Hatout, said Otto was created to help venues capture lost opportunities.

“Hospitality is fast-paced and demanding, and Otto acts as a reliable team member who never misses a call,” Hatout said. “By capturing every order, booking and catering request, Otto helps venues increase revenue and support their staff.”

Addressing A Revenue Gap

More than half of restaurant revenue now comes from remote ordering, but only 27 per cent is processed online. Phone orders remain a critical channel, yet many go unanswered during peak service periods.

Marco Di Pietrantonio, owner of Melbourne restaurant Italico, said the technology helped his business manage surges in demand.

“In summer, our trade explodes. The restaurant’s packed, and the phones don’t stop. But when no one can hear the call, or no one’s free to answer, that’s money walking out the door,” he said. “Otto is giving us a way to handle phone orders without pulling staff off the floor. It’s smart, simple and helps us keep the focus on our guests.”

Designed For Hospitality Workflows

Otto’s Chief Ai Officer, Scott Fox, said the product was built to fit into existing workflows rather than forcing operators to overhaul their processes.

“We find that a lot of hospo folks are cautious when it comes to adopting new tech. Operators are just figuring out if and how Ai can help them, so it becomes a ‘to-do later’ thing,” Fox said.

“Otto is a bit different because it drops right into the current process. It’s just like having a staff member pick up the phone, chat with the customer and send the order to the kitchen. We’ve seen a lot of tech transformation in hospo over the years, the tools that succeed are the ones that slot effortlessly into operations for staff and elevate the customer experience.”

Scaling To Meet Demand

The company is positioning Otto as a scalable solution for venues that want to reduce pressure on staff, capture more customer orders and bookings, and ensure consistent service standards.

For customers, the aim is convenience and certainty. Orders can be placed at any time, with the reassurance that they are sent directly to the kitchen and actioned without delay.

Hospitality operators, particularly those relying heavily on phone-based ordering, will now be watching closely to see if Otto can bridge the gap between customer expectations and stretched staffing resources.

Last Updated on October 16, 2025 by Nick Ross