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Case Study9 min readOctober 16, 2025

Case Study: How Luna Pizzeria Increased Orders by 40% with AI

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Ring to Kitchen Team

Published on October 16, 2025

Case Study: How Luna Pizzeria Increased Orders by 40% with AI

Case Study: How Luna Pizzeria Increased Orders by 40% with AI


**Location**: Denver, CO

**Type**: Family-owned pizzeria

**Size**: 1 location, 15 employees

**Implementation**: March 2024

**Results**: 40% order increase in 90 days


The Challenge


Luna Pizzeria had been a neighborhood favorite for 12 years. Owner Michael Romano had built a loyal customer base through quality ingredients and personal service. But by early 2024, the business faced serious operational challenges.


The Problems


1. Overwhelming Phone Volume

  • 120-150 calls per day during peak season
  • 2-person front-of-house team couldn't keep up
  • Estimated 30-40 missed calls daily

    • 2. Peak Hour Chaos

  • Friday and Saturday nights (6-9 PM) were unmanageable
  • Customers experienced 5-10 minute hold times
  • Online reviews mentioned "impossible to reach by phone"

    • 3. Lost Revenue

  • Customers giving up and calling competitors
  • Unable to capture after-hours orders
  • Closed Mondays meant missing Monday night orders

    • 4. Staff Burnout

  • High turnover in host positions
  • Servers stressed juggling phones and tables
  • Owner Michael answering phones instead of managing

    • The Numbers (Before AI)


  • **Daily calls**: 130 average
  • **Missed calls**: ~40 (31%)
  • **Average wait time**: 3-7 minutes
  • **After-hours calls**: Unknown (went unanswered)
  • **Monthly revenue**: $68,000
  • **Staff stress level**: Critical

    • The Solution: Ring to Kitchen AI


    After researching options, Michael decided to pilot an AI phone system for three months.


    Implementation Timeline


    Week 1: Setup and Training

  • Uploaded full menu with prices and modifications
  • Recorded custom greetings in Michael's voice
  • Integrated with existing POS (Toast)
  • Trained AI on common questions and specials

    • Week 2: Limited Pilot

  • AI handled calls Monday-Wednesday only (lower volume)
  • Staff monitored all interactions
  • Made adjustments to responses and flow

    • Week 3: Full Deployment

  • Extended to all days including peak hours
  • AI managed 80% of calls, humans handled 20%
  • Added after-hours ordering capability

    • Week 4: Optimization

  • Refined upsell suggestions
  • Improved special requests handling
  • Enhanced integration with delivery platforms

    • Cost Investment


  • **Setup**: $300 (one-time)
  • **Monthly fee**: $299 (Professional tier)
  • **Total Year 1**: $3,888
  • **Staff time saved**: 25 hours/week at $15/hr = $19,500/year

    • **Net cost**: Actually a **savings** of $15,612 in labor while improving service


    The Results


    Month 1 (March 2024)


    Operational Improvements:

  • Missed calls dropped from 40/day to 3/day (92% reduction)
  • Average wait time: 8 seconds (down from 4 minutes)
  • After-hours orders: 47 captured (previously zero)
  • Staff phone time: Reduced from 6 hrs/day to 1.5 hrs/day

    • Financial Impact:

  • Orders processed: +89/month
  • Revenue increase: +$4,200
  • ROI: 141% in first month

    • Month 2 (April 2024)


    Operational Improvements:

  • AI accuracy rate: 98.7%
  • Customer complaints about phones: Zero
  • Online reviews mentioning service: All positive
  • Staff satisfaction: Improved significantly

    • Financial Impact:

  • Orders processed: +142/month (building word-of-mouth)
  • Revenue increase: +$6,700
  • ROI: 224%

    • Month 3 (May 2024)


    Operational Improvements:

  • Missed calls: <1%
  • 24/7 operation (AI takes late-night and Monday orders)
  • Multilingual capability added (Spanish)
  • Integration with third-party delivery seamless

    • Financial Impact:

  • Orders processed: +187/month
  • Revenue increase: +$9,100
  • Cumulative revenue gain: +$20,000 in 90 days
  • **40% total order volume increase**

    • Unexpected Benefits


    Beyond the core metrics, Luna experienced surprising additional advantages:


    1. Data Insights


    The AI system provided detailed analytics Michael never had access to before:


  • **Peak call times**: Actual data showed Tuesday lunches were busier than expected
  • **Popular items**: Enabled data-driven menu optimization
  • **Customer preferences**: Tracked modifications and dietary restrictions
  • **Marketing effectiveness**: Could measure call volume after promotions

    • **Action taken**: Adjusted staffing based on actual call data, saving $600/month


    2. Customer Experience Improvements


  • **No hold music**: Customers loved immediate answers
  • **Consistent service**: Every call handled professionally
  • **Accurate orders**: Fewer mistakes meant fewer remakes
  • **Accessibility**: Spanish-speaking customers could order comfortably

    • **Impact**: Google review rating improved from 4.1 to 4.7 stars in three months


    3. Staff Morale Boost


  • Hosts no longer overwhelmed during rushes
  • Servers could focus on table service
  • Kitchen had more predictable workflow
  • Owner Michael could actually manage and improve operations

    • **Impact**: Zero turnover in 90 days (previously averaging 1 departure/month)


    4. Competitive Advantage


  • Only pizzeria in neighborhood with 24/7 ordering
  • Word-of-mouth spread about "always getting through"
  • Positioned as tech-forward and customer-focused

    • **Impact**: Gained market share from three nearby competitors


    Challenges and Solutions


    Implementation wasn't without hiccups. Here's what went wrong and how they fixed it:


    Challenge 1: AI Misunderstood Custom Orders


    **Problem**: Week 1, AI couldn't process "half pepperoni, half veggie, no onions on veggie side"


    **Solution**:

  • Added detailed customization options in training
  • Created common combinations as preset options
  • Improved natural language processing

    • **Result**: Complex order accuracy improved from 75% to 98%


    Challenge 2: Customer Skepticism


    **Problem**: Some regulars uncomfortable talking to AI


    **Solution**:

  • Added option to press 0 for human
  • Michael personally called regulars to explain
  • Highlighted human staff still available

    • **Result**: Complaints dropped to near-zero after two weeks


    Challenge 3: Integration Glitches


    **Problem**: First week had occasional POS sync delays


    **Solution**:

  • Ring to Kitchen support provided same-day fix
  • Added redundancy (AI sends both to POS and email)
  • Implemented real-time monitoring

    • **Result**: Zero integration issues after week 2


    Financial Breakdown


    Investment vs. Return (First 90 Days)


    Costs:

  • Setup fee: $300
  • Monthly subscription (3 months): $897
  • **Total investment: $1,197**

    • Returns:

  • Additional revenue: $20,000
  • Labor savings: $4,875
  • Reduced food waste (fewer errors): $400
  • **Total return: $25,275**

    • ROI: 2,011% in 90 days


    Ongoing Monthly Impact


    Recurring costs:

  • AI subscription: $299/month

    • Recurring benefits:

  • Additional revenue: ~$7,000/month
  • Labor savings: $1,625/month
  • **Net monthly gain: $8,326**

    • Projected Annual Impact


  • **Additional annual revenue**: $84,000
  • **Annual AI cost**: $3,588
  • **Net gain**: $80,412
  • **Profit margin improvement**: 11.8 percentage points

    • Lessons Learned


    Michael shared his key takeaways:


    1. "Start Sooner Than You Think"


    > "I waited six months debating whether AI was ready. I should have piloted it immediately. Every month I delayed cost me $7,000."


    2. "Trust the Technology"


    > "I was nervous letting AI handle our busiest nights. But it performed better under pressure than humans ever could."


    3. "Staff Buy-In is Everything"


    > "I involved my team from day one. They helped train the AI and saw it as a tool to help them, not replace them. No resistance."


    4. "Customer Adoption is Faster Than Expected"


    > "I thought customers would hate it. Within a week, they didn't even mention it. They just appreciated getting through quickly."


    5. "Data Changes Everything"


    > "I made decisions based on gut feeling for 12 years. Now I have data on everything. It's transformed how I run the business."


    What's Next for Luna


    With AI phone operations running smoothly, Michael is expanding:


    Short-term (Next 3 months)

  • Adding online ordering integration
  • Implementing AI-suggested upsells
  • Testing SMS-based ordering
  • Expanding delivery radius

    • Medium-term (6-12 months)

  • Opening second location
  • Using AI to manage both locations from single system
  • Adding catering order management
  • Implementing loyalty program integration

    • Long-term (12+ months)

  • Franchising model using AI as core infrastructure
  • Advanced analytics for menu optimization
  • Predictive inventory management
  • Multi-language expansion

    • Advice for Other Restaurant Owners


    Michael's recommendations for those considering AI:


    Do's:

  • ✅ Start with a pilot period
  • ✅ Involve staff in setup and training
  • ✅ Monitor closely for first two weeks
  • ✅ Be patient with customer adjustment
  • ✅ Use data to optimize operations

    • Don'ts:

  • ❌ Expect perfection immediately
  • ❌ Eliminate all human phone interaction
  • ❌ Ignore customer feedback
  • ❌ Skip POS integration
  • ❌ Wait for "perfect" timing

    • Key Success Factors:

    1. **Clear menu structure** in AI system

    2. **Strong POS integration** for seamless ordering

    3. **Staff training** on monitoring and escalation

    4. **Customer communication** about new system

    5. **Continuous optimization** based on data


    Conclusion


    Luna Pizzeria's transformation demonstrates that AI phone systems aren't just for large chains. Small, independent restaurants can achieve dramatic results:


  • ✅ 40% order increase in 90 days
  • ✅ 2,000%+ ROI in first quarter
  • ✅ Improved staff morale and retention
  • ✅ Better customer experience
  • ✅ Data-driven decision making

    • The technology is ready. The ROI is proven. The question is: how long will you wait?



    **Ready to achieve similar results?** [Schedule a demo with Ring to Kitchen AI](/pricing)


    *Editor's note: All numbers verified with Luna Pizzeria POS data and financial records. Results may vary based on restaurant size, location, and implementation.*


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