Technology
Why smart TVs could be restaurants’ next ordering channel
November 6, 2026 by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com
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ClaudeGuests will soon be able to order dinner from their TVs without reaching for a phone or pausing the game. Starting with a launch expected in December, viewers may browse restaurant menus, order and pay directly from LG Smart TVs in the U.S., while picture-in-picture keeps their show playing on screen.
The idea meets diners where many already eat: 86% of Americans watch TV or movies while eating delivery dinners, according to DoorDash. Also, tvScientific's April 2026 report revealed that 65% of consumers purchased something after seeing a TV ad, and 69% shop online while watching TV.
The integration comes from a partnership between LG Electronics and SoundHound AI, a voice and agentic AI company, and will reach about 20 million LG Smart TVs, according to SoundHound. The company plans to name the first participating restaurants toward the end of the year.
"We believe this platform will provide restaurants with a whole new channel that will enable them to be discovered right in people's living rooms," Ben Bellettini, senior vice president of restaurants for SoundHound AI, said in an email interview with FastCasual.
Although Bellettini could not specify the exact costs, he said restaurants will pay a standard pickup and delivery commission, either directly or through the ordering providers they already work with, Bellettini said. There is no subscription option. The system needs no new in-store hardware and connects to the POS and kitchen systems restaurants already use, according to SoundHound.
"We'll share more on partners and on opportunities for advertising closer to launch," he said.
SoundHound is building several ways to order. Guests may talk through the entire order, payment included, with a voice-enabled AI agent, or browse restaurants on screen and finish the transaction by scanning a QR code with their phone. The same technology can run in vehicles, where SoundHound is piloting it with major automakers, Bellettini said.
The company is in stages ranging from pilot to production with device manufacturers and automakers and is onboarding restaurants now.
"It's too early to share results, but the direction is clear," Bellettini said. "What stands out to us is the openness on both sides: businesses want new channels that bring them customers, and consumers will adopt anything that removes friction. This combination is what moves the market."
One national coffee chain SoundHound is bringing onto the platform sees the appeal.
"Our customers are in their cars and in front of their TVs all the time, so being able to take orders there makes a lot of sense for us. It's a good way to get our name in front of more people," the chain, which SoundHound did not name, said in a statement provided by the company.
The TV ordering service is expected to go live on LG Smart TVs in December
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