New features include image-based menu scanning, conversational search, AI-generated videos, and voice agents to modernize how users explore restaurants, services, and local spots.
Yelp Pushes Deeper into AI with Fall Feature Wave
Yelp is rolling out a major suite of AI-powered tools designed to reimagine how users discover local businesses—from what to eat at a new restaurant to how to book a haircut or home repair.
At the center of this update is a revamped AI assistant and an AI menu scanner, along with enhancements to natural language search, visual browsing, and automated business services.
Snap a Menu, See the Dish: AI Menu Scanning Arrives
One of Yelp’s most innovative updates is its AI image recognition-powered menu scanner.
- Users can now point their phone camera at a physical menu, and Yelp will overlay interactive “bubbles” on each dish name.
- Tapping a bubble brings up user-submitted photos and reviews for that specific item—helping diners see what they’re ordering before they order it.
This makes Yelp more visual, intuitive, and helpful at the table—particularly at local spots without online menus or travel destinations with unfamiliar dishes.
Search Gets a Chatbot-Style Upgrade
To match modern AI experiences, Yelp is now supporting conversational queries directly in its search bar.
- Type or speak a question like, “Where can I get vegan ramen near downtown?” or “Best place to fix a flat tire open late?”
- Yelp will return context-aware results across restaurants, bars, auto shops, salons, parks, and more.
- Voice input now powers search, making it easier to discover places on the go.
AI Assistant Now Knows Your Preferences
Yelp’s AI assistant, launched last year to help users book services, is now smarter and more versatile.
- It can now answer questions about restaurants, retailers, attractions, and more, using a mix of:
- Business listings
- Website info
- User reviews and photos
- Prewritten FAQs are also displayed on pages to help users get quick answers without typing.
The assistant also remembers user preferences, enabling personalized recommendations over time.
Highlighting What’s Popular—Beyond Just Food
Yelp is expanding its “Most Mentioned” feature to more than 100 business categories, not just restaurants and bars.
- You’ll now see the most popular:
- Desserts at food spots
- Color treatments or styles at salons
- Repairs or services at mechanics or home service businesses
This helps users get to the good stuff faster without sifting through pages of reviews.
AI Comes to the Other Side: Voice Agents for Businesses
Yelp is also rolling out AI voice tools for business owners, helping automate tasks and improve customer experience:
- AI host for restaurants can:
- Take bookings
- Modify reservations
- Handle special requests
- AI receptionist for service providers can:
- Qualify leads
- Gather project info
- Send call summaries to the business’s Yelp inbox
These tools follow competitors like Square and Kea, reflecting Yelp’s commitment to operational AI as well as customer-facing features.
New Visual Tools for Discovery and Planning
Yelp is doubling down on video and visual discovery, with updates that include:
- AI-generated videos that stitch together user photos with narration
- Expanded user video uploads (now up to 30 seconds)
- Visual summaries of restaurants and bars, combining media and reviews
- Grouped before-and-after photos for service businesses
- A new section for planning future projects, like remodels or events
These changes aim to make Yelp more immersive and personalized—keeping pace with evolving expectations from AI-native platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Maps AI updates.
