Has a robot ever taken your pizza order? In New Jersey, that question is no longer hypothetical—and for many small businesses, it’s becoming part of everyday life.

AI is taking orders at local restaurants in New Jersey

Sunday was supposed to be simple: leftovers retired, football on the TV, and a quick call to my neighborhood pizza shop. Instead, I was greeted by a bright, overly chipper automated voice that asked—perfectly politely—what kind of pizza I wanted. She repeated my order, took my credit card number without missing a beat, and even gave me a pickup time. Efficient, yes. But also a little eerie.

When I arrived to grab my food, the usual young woman behind the counter was nowhere in sight. Only then did it click: the shop had swapped its human order-taker for an AI phone service, one of several now marketed specifically to small restaurants trying to stay afloat. In a state where the cost of doing business feels like another sport altogether, the move made a certain kind of sense.

Why New Jersey small businesses say they need AI

Margins are razor-thin for mom-and-pop shops here. Owners are juggling higher food costs, unpredictable foot traffic, and constant staffing shortages. AI, to them, isn’t science fiction—it’s survival. Automated order-taking means fewer missed calls, fewer mistakes, and one less paycheck to stretch.

But at what cost to community?

Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something warm had quietly slipped out the door. That familiar voice, that quick laugh about the weather—gone. Is convenience worth the tradeoff?

Have you ever had AI take your order? And how did it make you feel to hear a robot where a neighbor used to be?

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