Technology

3 ways technology fueled Meltwich's entry into US market

Ryan Hillis, VP of Revenue for Meltwich Hospitality Group, shares how the 20-unit grilled cheese concept used technology to expand outside Canada.

Ryan Hillis, VP of Revenue for Meltwich Hospitality Group, shares how the 20-unit grilled cheese concept used technology to expand outside Canada. Provided.

July 19, 2021

By Ryan Hillis, VP of Revenue, Meltwich Hospitality Group

When Meltwich, the Ontario-based grilled cheese concept, began to gain traction in Canada, it became clear that its crave-able, indulgent menu would also resonate in the American market. But a strong product offering alone doesn't always spell success for brands looking to expand across the border. In fact, Canadian foodservice brands often struggle to break into the United States market for one simple reason: technology.

The U.S. restaurant landscape features a tech-forward approach to operations, and many Canadian brands hit a wall as they attempt to adapt their technology while simultaneously scaling their business. Luckily, Meltwich had already made a strong investment in point-of-sale technology with Givex that set it up for large-scale success. Givex not only streamlined operations across the brand's 20+ locations throughout Canada but also provided the brand with the flexibility to choose the third-party solution that best fit its needs.

Today, restaurant technology has become more essential than ever. In 2020, the pandemic forced dine-in restaurants to pivot operations on a dime as customer demand for off-premise ordering quickly skyrocketed. This transition wasn't always easy, and as third-party delivery became increasingly important, especially in the fast casual world, anything that could be used to help streamline operations was deemed essential. Additionally, with dine-in businesses temporarily shuttered, restaurant owners needed to come up with creative ways to help bolster sales, whether it was crafting compelling limited-time promotions, loyalty programs or customer incentives. In order to successfully launch these initiatives, leveraging customer data pulled from POS reports became a powerful tool to guide promotion efforts.

Here, Meltwich was able to use insights gained from its POS system and implement system-wide changes quickly rather than scrambling to keep pace with the seemingly immediate shift in the restaurant landscape happening throughout the pandemic. As a result, Meltwich maintained strong sales numbers throughout 2020, allowing the brand to continue its forward momentum and further propel its successful expansion into the U.S.

The right POS system allows brands to effectively manage every aspect of the business, from inventory to workflow. More and more, consumers expect intuitive and automated restaurant experiences and Canadian brands need the support, flexibility and efficiency of the right technology suite in order to confidently and successfully expand into the U.S. restaurant market and appropriately serve the needs of their new American customers.

Below are three ways we are using technology to help us get it right when opening our 30 U.S. locations.

Leveraging analytics for menu innovation and data-driven decision making

Prior to entering into a new market — and especially a new country — restaurant brands need to have the ability to holistically analyze system-wide sales. This includes identifying top-selling products and menu items with strong customer momentum while also recognizing slower items that could be placing a drag on the system. It's important to remember that products that resonate in Canada may not sell in America. In order to fully analyze their menu and set themselves up for success, restaurant owners need a POS platform that will allow them to analyze the numbers in a simple, concise format. Meltwich was able to use POS data to identify its top- and bottom-line items and trim its menu in order to better suit the American market.

With regularly scheduled reports and access to real-time data, brands can also make immediate changes to their system when necessary, providing restaurant owners with the ability to make quick pivots and system-wide changes that became essential throughout the pandemic.

Easily integrating online ordering and delivery platforms into the POS

The rise in off-premise dining was perhaps the most significant shift in the restaurant landscape due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gone are the days when online ordering was a convenient amenity. Now, it's an essential component of any restaurant. Given its importance, restaurant owners need to have the capability to seamlessly integrate their POS system with delivery platforms as a way to streamline the ordering process and eliminate common errors like double entry or missed orders.

By honing its online ordering capabilities, a brand quickly becomes better prepared to tap into the essential off-premise sales in any new market. Meltwich was able to easily integrate GivexPOS with its delivery platform of choice, ensuring that the restaurant never missed a beat or lost a potential order while simultaneously avoiding the fees that are commonly associated with integrating a new provider into a POS system.

Leaning on IT support for problem-solving

The right technology provider gives restaurant owners confidence that there will always be someone available to help them navigate the complex process of expansion. Issues will inevitably arise, especially when a brand is growing as quickly as Meltwich; it's important to have a well-rounded support team on hand to help make quick decisions and curb potential problems in real-time. Entering into a new country is challenging enough, and the Givex partnership provides Meltwich with reliable, 24/7 tech support including support for new store installs and adding new features and functionality to the system to ensure the team can focus its attention and efforts on growth.

Preparing for tomorrow

There is little doubt technology will continue to shape the restaurant world for the foreseeable future. Meltwich is a prime example of how innovative technology partners can provide restaurant brands with the intuitive data, streamlined services and flexibility needed to successfully enter into the competitive U.S. market.