At Itali.co Sorrento, the phone is a major revenue channel.

As an iconic Italian restaurant on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, the 260-seat venue deals with huge seasonal demand, especially from November through Easter, with its busiest stretch running from Boxing Day to Australia Day.

For owner Marco, that created a familiar hospitality problem: when the venue gets busy, the phone can become a bottleneck.

That’s why he brought in Otto.

The challenge

Itali.co Sorrento is a large, seasonal venue with strong weekend trade and major holiday peaks. During busy periods, calls stack up fast, and every interruption pulls staff away from service.

Marco knew the issue wasn’t just answering calls. It was making sure the team could keep service standards high while still capturing orders and customer enquiries.

The moment it clicked

Marco admits he was unsure at first.

But once Otto went live, that changed quickly.

After launching on a Friday, the system had its first real test over the weekend. By Monday, Marco said he was “seriously taken back” by how well it worked.

His biggest immediate takeaway?

The phone stopped ringing, but the orders kept coming through.

That was the moment he realised Otto was doing exactly what the business needed it to do.

“I was a little bit concerned with AI to start with, but once I flicked the switch, I was seriously taken back.”

— Marco, Owner, Itali.co Sorrento

A phone channel worth $150k a year

For Itali.co Sorrento, phone ordering is not a small side stream.

Otto is helping Itali.co Sorrento capture $150k a year in phone-order revenue.

That’s what makes this more than an efficiency story. It’s a revenue story too.

Instead of staff constantly being pulled away from service to answer calls, Otto helps the venue keep orders flowing while the team stays focused on the floor.

Better for staff. Better for service.

Marco sees the staffing benefit clearly.

Before Otto, someone needed to stay tied to the phone. Now that pressure is reduced, and staff can be redirected to more valuable work inside the venue.

But for Marco, the biggest win is not just labour efficiency.

It’s service consistency.

Busy periods are when standards are hardest to maintain. By taking phone pressure off the team, Otto helps Itali.co stay calmer, smoother, and more in control when trade is at its peak.

Customer feedback has been positive

Marco said he was pleasantly surprised by how many regular customers told him the system worked really well.

Not every customer will embrace new technology instantly, and he is realistic about that. But overall, the response has been strong, and the rollout has given him more confidence heading into the busiest time of year.

“The phone wasn’t ringing, and the orders were coming through. We were still able to operate as smoothly as possible.”

— Marco, Owner, Itali.co Sorrento

Marco’s view

Marco’s recommendation to other hospitality operators is clear:

Otto is the way forward for hospitality venues.

Coming from someone with decades of restaurant experience, that carries weight.

Marco has spent years adapting to changing customer behaviour and improving operations through technology. For him, Otto is not a gimmick. It is simply the next smart step.

“From a hospitality perspective, I think Otto is the way forward for hospitality venues.”

— Marco, Owner, Itali.co Sorrento

The takeaway for restaurant owners

If your venue gets slammed during peak periods, if staff are constantly interrupted by the phone, or if missed calls are costing you orders, Marco’s story will sound familiar.

At Itali.co Sorrento, Otto is helping the team:

• reduce phone pressure during busy service
• keep staff focused on customers
• support smoother operations
• protect a phone-order channel worth $150k a year

For Marco, that’s the real value.

Otto isn’t replacing hospitality.

It’s helping protect it when the venue is under pressure.