A person sits on the couch, remote in hand, favorite series on the screen. Without taking their eyes off the action, they press a button and see a menu of nearby restaurants: burgers, tacos, sandwiches. They choose, pay, and half an hour later the order is at the door. All of it without a phone, without pausing the show, and without extra apps.
Starting in December 2026, this option will become available to owners of roughly 20 million LG Smart TVs in the US. The partnership between LG Electronics and SoundHound AI integrates a voice and on-screen assistant directly into the television. Viewers will be able to browse menus, talk to the AI agent, or complete payment via a QR code on their phone while picture-in-picture keeps showing the match or movie.
The idea grew out of American habits: according to DoorDash, 86 % eat delivery without looking away from the screen. A tvScientific study from April 2026 found that 65 % make purchases after TV ads, and 69 % shop online at the same time. Now restaurants get direct access to these moments — without new equipment in the kitchen and without a subscription.
The technology is already live in more than 15 thousand establishments: Jersey Mike’s, Five Guys, White Castle and others. It connects to existing POS systems and kitchen displays. Restaurants pay the usual commission for pickup or delivery. The first national coffee brand taking part in the pilot notes: “Our guests are always in their cars and in front of their TVs — being where they are makes sense.”
SoundHound’s senior vice president for restaurants, Ben Bellettini, emphasizes: businesses are looking for new channels, and consumers are looking for frictionless convenience. The first restaurant-chain partners will be announced before the end of the year. Later the platform may expand into retail, but the start is specifically with food.
The launch is planned for December 2026 via a free webOS update. Voice ordering, on-screen menu browsing and payment — all in a single interface. For restaurants, it is a way to remind people of themselves at the very moment when the viewer is already hungry and relaxed.
The new channel will not replace going to a restaurant, but it will make home viewing one more reason to try dishes that previously required a separate app or a phone call.
