CaliBBQ: 18% Sales Boost with AI – Father’s Day Case Study
- California barbecue chain CaliBBQ replaced its phone operators with an AI agent named Shawn for Father's Day, resulting in increased efficiency and sales.
- Typically, Father’s Day brings in about $20,000 for CaliBBQ.
- Shawn AI managed approximately 150 customer calls,addressing catering questions,reservations,and orders. Walk-in takeout orders, placed in advance, surged 92% compared to the previous year, all processed via the AI...
CaliBBQ saw a remarkable 18% sales surge this Father’s Day, thanks to teh implementation of a cutting-edge AI agent named Shawn AI. This innovative approach showcases the power of AI agent technology in transforming customer interactions and boosting revenue. Shawn AI, designed to mirror the restaurant owner’s voice, successfully managed over 150 calls, significantly improving the takeout ordering process which saw a staggering 92% increase. Discover how Palona’s Restaurant AI technology is leading the way for the food industry, helping restaurants optimize customer service and enhance efficiency. The case study highlights the evolving AI agents landscape and the importance of integrating artificial intelligence while maintaining human interaction.News Directory 3 delivers this insightful report demonstrating how businesses are evolving in the digital era.Will AI agents wholly play a role in various business functions, or will human agents always be involved? Discover what’s next …
AI Agent Helps CaliBBQ Sizzle on Father’s Day
Updated June 18, 2025
California barbecue chain CaliBBQ replaced its phone operators with an AI agent named Shawn for Father’s Day, resulting in increased efficiency and sales. The AI agent, designed to mimic the restaurant’s owner, handled customer inquiries and orders.
Typically, Father’s Day brings in about $20,000 for CaliBBQ. this year, sales rose 18% to roughly $26,000 across 268 orders. Palona, a startup specializing in Restaurant AI technology, developed Shawn AI, which served as an autonomous assistant.
Shawn AI managed approximately 150 customer calls,addressing catering questions,reservations,and orders. Walk-in takeout orders, placed in advance, surged 92% compared to the previous year, all processed via the AI agent.
Shawn Walchef said the goal is to scale hospitality, not eliminate human interaction. Palona’s Restaurant AI is used in over 20 restaurants, including Pizza My Heart and Kobunga Grill, managing inbound calls with human fallback options.
A 2025 PwC survey revealed that 88% of U.S. business executives plan to increase AI spending in the next year. Between 79% and 85% of enterprises have adopted or intend to adopt AI agents for various business functions.
However, Gartner projects that by 2027, half of organizations planning major customer service workforce reductions will reverse course. A March poll of 163 customer service leaders showed 95% intend to retain human agents to guide AI’s role, favoring a “digital first, but not digital only” strategy.
“People can now go, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I ordered from an AI agent, and it was actually a better experience than talking to a human because they didn’t mess up my order,’” Walchef said.
Shawn AI was trained using Walchef’s voice and personality from his “Restaurant Influencers” podcasts, along with CaliBBQ’s menu. In the past, Father’s Day callers were directed to an auto attendant.
According to Walchef, Palona allowed them to activate Shawn AI to handle orders, improving the user experience. The AI agent also freed up staff to focus on in-person diners, reducing table turn times by nearly 50%.
CaliBBQ experienced a 25% decrease in support line texts and calls and issued 10% fewer customer discounts.
Palona CEO Maria Zhang said that initial tests of shawn