How Sweet Melissa's Partnered With ChowNow to Launch Online Ordering & a Branded App

Sweet Melissa’s is a thriving café business founded by Melissa Poland about 8.5 years ago. What began as a single location has now expanded to two cafés, with a third location planned to open soon, demonstrating impressive growth in a competitive market.

After working at a Mediterranean restaurant for seven years, Melissa discovered her passion for food and decided to open her own café. Sweet Melissa’s quickly gained popularity for its commitment to quality, everything is made from scratch using fresh ingredients, with daily deliveries of produce and meat. 

While the café was doing well, Melissa wasn’t initially considering online ordering. When she decided to partner with ChowNow to establish an online ordering system, she quickly saw how it could help grow her business while maintaining control over her brand and customer relationships. The partnership with ChowNow allowed Sweet Melissa’s to reach more customers and improve efficiency. Additionally, local customers could place online orders ahead of time rather than waiting in a queue, increasing customer satisfaction.

The Challenge of Managing Growth 

Sweet Melissa’s originally operated as a traditional café with limited space, just three tables in the front. As popularity grew, the business expanded from 1,900 square feet to 3,800 square feet within nine months of opening. But with increasing demand came operational challenges.

Melissa needed a solution that would help manage the growing volume of orders without compromising on quality or customer service. “We noticed right away it was kind of like a revolving door, with these people coming in, getting salads, going out, coming in, the phone ringing, us taking orders,” Melissa explained. 

When Melissa was considering online ordering solutions for Sweet Melissa’s, she needed a platform that would complement her commitment to quality without cutting into profits. ChowNow stood out immediately because of its restaurant-first approach.

Increasing Orders and Adding Convenience Through a Branded Mobile App

Implementing ChowNow’s branded app was pivotal to Sweet Melissa’s online ordering strategy. The app didn’t just simplify ordering, it created a direct channel to customers that put Melissa’s brand front and center on their phones. This digital storefront allows customers to place orders with just a few taps while maintaining the personal connection that Sweet Melissa’s is known for.

“What I’ve noticed is the branded app started taking off with the older generation,” Melissa observed. “I’d be seeing people that would typically order at the cash register or call in their order and all of a sudden, they were ordering it on the app. It’s made things so much more convenient for them.”

This shift in customer behavior extended beyond convenience, it created brand advocates. As customers took their branded packaging back to their workplaces, it sparked conversations. “They’d be working with people that would say, ‘Oh my, where’d you get that salad?’ And then all of a sudden it was kind of like it was spreading out to so many different people.” They were able to cater to a lunch crowd that needed quality food within a limited amount of time.

Best of all, this powerful marketing tool belongs entirely to Melissa, no third party standing between her business and her customers.

Expanding Operations While Maintaining Profitability

As online orders increased, Sweet Melissa’s had to adapt their operations. “It was so big, we started to get so many orders so quickly that we actually had to expand the kitchen,” Melissa explained. They created dedicated stations, one for online orders and another for in-house and carry-out orders, to ensure efficient service for all customers.

The commission-free model of ChowNow was especially important to Melissa, who was determined not to sacrifice her hard-earned profits. “In the food industry, we have very small margins,” she noted. “The last thing I want to do is give 25%, 27%, 30% to all those other platforms. I mean, that’s insane.”

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A Partnership Built on Service

For Melissa, customer service is a core value, both in her business and from her partners. ChowNow’s responsive support team has been a key factor in her continued loyalty to the platform.

The reliability of support is particularly important during busy periods: “When I’m dealing with 100 tickets in front of me and I have to get to the bottom of something or there’s a concern with a customer or they have an issue with being charged, I can get those questions answered really fast.”

This level of service aligns with Melissa’s own business philosophy: “I’m a huge advocate of customer service. I run my business on providing really good customer service for people.”

Continued Growth with ChowNow

Today, ChowNow accounts for approximately one-third of Sweet Melissa’s daily business, a testament to the platform’s impact on their operations and marketing reach. As Melissa prepares to open her third location, ChowNow remains an integral part of her business strategy.