How Caribbean Kitchen Cut Commission Fees And Set Up a Foundation for Growth with ChowNow

Caribbean Kitchen is a Bahamian catering company based in Hopkins, Minnesota, founded by Nicholas Hall in 2009. What started as a passion project while working in education eventually turned into a full-fledged business built on word-of-mouth, strong community ties, and a passion for bringing bold Caribbean flavors to the Midwest.

Originally from Nassau, Bahamas, Nicholas started out cooking for friends and small events, catering on weekends simply because he enjoyed doing it. As demand grew and his reputation spread, he began taking the business more seriously, scaling slowly but steadily.

Now, Nicholas is taking the next step. To reach more customers and increase operational efficiency, he’s expanding into a ghost kitchen model; an approach that lets him serve delivery and takeout customers without the overhead of a dine-in space. It’s a big move, but one that requires the right tools, systems, and partners to pull off.

By partnering with ChowNow, Caribbean Kitchen cut delivery fees and simplified operations, all while getting ready to launch a new ghost kitchen concept.

Navigating Growth

The Challenge

Nicholas had built Caribbean Kitchen largely on his own, handling everything from cooking and prep to operations and delivery. As catering orders grew, so did the demand on his time. Without the right tools in place, scaling online orders in a sustainable way became more difficult to manage.

Third-party platforms helped generate some new orders, but the tradeoff came at a cost. High commission fees meant a significant chunk of revenue was lost with every order, money that could be better spent going back into the business.

Goals

Nicholas began looking for a better way to do business and set out to accomplish three goals:

1. Find a cost-effective way to increase direct orders without relying on third-party platforms.
2. Reduce the amount of revenue lost to high commission fees.
3. Prepare Caribbean Kitchen for growth with their new ghost kitchen model.

He understood that to take the next step, he needed tools that would help him capture more orders, streamline operations, and hold onto more of the money his business had earned.

Choosing ChowNow for Direct Ordering and a Restaurant Website

What Nicholas Was Looking For

As Nichlas looked for ways to grow Caribbean Kitchen, he knew he needed more than just another delivery app. He wanted an easy-to-use online system that would help him capture more direct orders, reduce fees, and set the business up for long-term growth. Also, at the top of his list was finding a way to build a better website, and ideally, a partner who could help him bring everything he was looking for together in one place.

To ensure he made the right decision, he took a practical, measured approach. Nicholas created a spreadsheet to compare different platforms, weighing each one against the criteria that mattered most: ease of use, affordability, and whether it could help him grow his online order volume. After meeting with different providers and looking closely at the numbers—ChowNow stood out as the clear winner.

Why They Chose ChowNow

The transparent pricing structure, with no commissions on every order, made sense for a small business. The tech was clean, modern, and easy to use. And the onboarding process gave him confidence that he’d have support when he needed it.

It wasn’t just about features; it was the sense that ChowNow understood what small businesses like his needed and was there to help them grow and be a partner in his success.

Holding On to More Revenue With Commission-Free Ordering

For Nicholas, one of the most significant benefits of switching to ChowNow was knowing that more of the money he earned from each order would stay with his business. Unlike third-party platforms that charge as much as 30% per order, ChowNow’s commission-free model ensured he was getting his share of the revenue.

That difference matters, especially when running a business where one person handles almost everything. As Nicholas put it, “As a small business person, every dollar counts—and it’s nice to hold on to more money.” With ChowNow, he’s able to accept direct orders online without sacrificing profit, helping him reinvest in his business and build toward long-term growth.

Preparing for Growth with a Ghost Kitchen

As Caribbean Kitchen makes plans to scale, Nicholas will soon be launching a ghost kitchen to increase output and reach more customers without the costs of running and maintaining a dining room. It’s a strategic move designed to boost revenue while keeping operations lean, and partnering with ChowNow is a key part of that plan. Ghost kitchens require tools that integrate smoothly, provide a smooth checkout experience and don’t take commissions on online orders because for a ghost kitchen takeout is 100% of their revenue.

To manage the growing number of customer orders without adding the stress of having to manage multiple delivery app tablets, Nicholas plans to use ChowNow’s Order Aggregation feature. Instead of juggling multiple tablets for each delivery platform, ChowNow consolidates all incoming orders into a single device, streamlining operations and reducing the risk of mistakes.

A Partner That Grows With You

For Nicholas, ChowNow is more than a tool—it’s a partner that understands the challenges of running a small business and supports the path to growth. From increasing commission-free online orders to simplifying operations and helping him prepare for expansion, ChowNow has become part of how he plans to grow Caribbean Kitchen in a sustainable way.