ChowNow Success Story | New York’s Ollie’s Increased Repeat Orders by 108%

Ollie’s, a family-run restaurant chain in New York City, partnered with ChowNow to modernize their operations by implementing direct online ordering and a custom branded app, significantly reducing third-party delivery fees and improving efficiency. This collaboration has saved Ollie’s over $2M in commission fees, increased repeat orders by 108% through automated marketing.

Meet Ollie’s

Founded in 1989 by Tsu Yue Wang, Ollie’s has grown from a single noodle shop across the street from Columbia University into a well-established family business with four locations throughout New York City. Billy, Tsu Yue’s son, joined the business eight years ago, taking the reins from his now-retired father. Under Billy’s leadership, Ollie’s has evolved to navigate the modern technological landscape, ensuring the legacy of the restaurant remains strong while adapting to the ever-changing demands of the restaurant industry.

Needing a Modern Solution

As Ollie’s expanded, the need for a direct online ordering system became clear. They were relying on manual order-taking via phone or in-person, which was time-consuming, inefficient, and error-ridden. They also didn’t utilize any marketing tools or platforms to bring in new business or boost repeat orders.

In an effort to offer online ordering to customers, Ollie’s used 3rd party ordering platforms like DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub. While the restaurant was popular on these third-party delivery platforms, the high commission fees were cutting into their profitability. 

In addition to needing a direct online ordering platform, Ollie’s wanted to develop their own mobile app to collect orders and increase diner loyalty. They saw the reliance customers had on mobile apps and wanted to offer a similar experience, but they didn’t have the resources or know-how to build it themselves. 

Getting a Tech Upgrade

ChowNow emerged as the perfect partner for Ollie’s, offering solutions that met all of their needs: lower fees, ease of use, custom app development, and more.

Billy ran a test with one location to make sure ChowNow was the right fit for their business before rolling it out to every location. He said, “I liked the integration into our website, the standalone app, and the user interface, which was very user-friendly and better than some of the other platforms like DoorDash. Furthermore, it seemed like customers were actually signing up which made it worth the [implementation].”

The initial success with ChowNow’s platform at one location quickly led to full adoption across all four Ollie’s locations. ChowNow’s suite of tools, including a branded mobile app and automated marketing features, provided Ollie’s with the modern technological edge they were seeking.

Reaching New Heights

Financial Gains

By switching to ChowNow, Ollie’s significantly reduced the commission costs associated with third-party delivery platforms, directly boosting their profit margins. Billy mentioned, “every person that orders from us directly saves us 15 to 20 percent of commissions that I won’t have to pay to the third party delivery companies.” When we broke it down, ChowNow has saved Ollie’s over $2M in commissions!

Ollie’s employed creative strategies to convert third-party customers to direct orders. As Billy put it, “Don’t be afraid of the third party platforms because they just have a lot more reach and marketing budget than you do, but it’s about being able to convert those customers once you get them, and that’s how you can use ChowNow.” Billy looks at third party ordering apps “like a funnel. Diners can discover me because they saw me on the Uber app, but then once they have tried my food, now I can put in a postcard or flier that asks them to order with me directly through ChowNow. If they’re a fan of the food, then they don’t really care which way they order.”

This approach has increased repeat orders through ChowNow, growing from an average of one order per customer to 3.2 orders per customer.

Operational Efficiencies

The automation of marketing and ordering processes through ChowNow has been a game-changer for Ollie’s. For instance, they used to employ their own delivery drivers, but Billy said, “It was getting a little too inefficient.” It was difficult for Ollie’s to predict the peak times and slow times, so they had trouble staffing the right amount of people for each shift. Billy shared, “Now that we have Flex Delivery, it’s a lot easier and cost-effective because we don’t have a car waiting for one or two orders.”

ChowNow’s automated email marketing tools have also aided Ollie’s with making their business operations more efficient. “Having automated email is great. With monthly marketing on autopilot, that lets me worry about other things for my business,” said Billy. It’s not only efficient though, Ollie’s also gets real results from their ChowNow marketing emails. They get a few hundred orders every month through the email promotions and find it to be a “non-intrusive way to market to our most loyal customers.”

Customer Engagement 

Ollie’s enhanced customer engagement and loyalty by using ChowNow’s custom-branded mobile app feature. Not only does it allow Ollie’s to have permanent real estate on their customers’ phones, but it also provides them an additional channel to engage with their customers and order directly from Ollie’s without paying commissions. 

Ollie’s also uses the Order Better Network feature to increase visibility and prominence on high-traffic ordering sites like Google, Apple Maps, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and more. Billy doesn’t have time to put into these web platforms, but ChowNow does all the work for them. ChowNow adds an online ordering button on all of these pages to make it easier for diners to find Ollie’s and order food seamlessly. Then Ollie’s can target these diners with emails and other marketing tactics to order directly from their website. Billy sees a lot of success through their online listings, with 20% of their overall ChowNow orders coming directly from it.

Growing Together

Ollie’s success story with ChowNow is a testament to the power of the right partnership. By leveraging ChowNow’s comprehensive takeout suite, Ollie’s has seen substantial improvements in profitability, efficiency, and customer loyalty. As Billy continues to steer the family business into the future, Ollie’s remains committed to their partnership with ChowNow, relying on their innovative solutions to support ongoing growth and operational improvements.

Ready to take your restaurant to new heights like Ollie’s? Discover how ChowNow can help you streamline operations, reduce costs, and boost customer engagement. Contact us today to learn more about our all-in-one takeout suite.