Restaurants around the world are continually searching for ways to expand their reach and increase their online presence. In recent news, ChowNow, a popular online ordering platform and marketing service for local restaurants, has made a big move by acquiring Cuboh, a Y Combinator-backed point-of-sale (POS) platform. This strategic acquisition will allow ChowNow to strengthen their POS integration solution and help restaurants streamline orders from multiple delivery apps into one convenient location.
“This is our first acquisition and we are excited about the potential it brings for our platform,” says ChowNow co-founder and CEO Chris Webb in an exclusive interview with TechCrunch.
With this new partnership, ChowNow has also undergone some restructuring, resulting in the layoff of around 30 employees. However, the entire 30-person team at Cuboh, including marketing, sales, product, and engineering, will be joining ChowNow to further strengthen their platform and provide a seamless experience for their restaurant partners.
“We unfortunately did have to make some tough decisions, but it was necessary in order to position ourselves for success,” explains Webb. This comes after ChowNow’s announcement of a layoff of 100 people in 2022, showing the company’s dedication to finding the best solutions for their customers while also adapting to the ever-changing market.
“We are confident that this acquisition will help us better support our customers and make their lives easier,” says Webb.
ChowNow, launched in 2012, has quickly become a leader in the industry, providing custom online ordering systems and marketing assistance for their partners. Unlike other similar platforms, ChowNow does not charge any commission fees and allows restaurants to keep 100% of their profits. With over 20,000 small restaurants already using ChowNow’s services and over 250 million online orders processed, they have saved their partners a whopping $700 million in commission fees.
Another exciting aspect of this acquisition is Cuboh’s POS integration feature. Previously, ChowNow’s dashboard could only manage a restaurant’s in-house menu, but now with Cuboh’s integration, restaurants can easily manage their menus for all delivery apps in one place. This not only eliminates the potential for errors but also simplifies menu updates across all platforms, saving restaurant owners time and reducing stress in the kitchen.
- For just $275 per month, restaurant owners can access the new “ChowNow + Cuboh” bundle, which includes ChowNow Pro ($199), the company’s flagship product that handles ordering, marketing, and operations, and Cuboh’s POS solution (ranging from $100 to $200 a month).
- In addition to ChowNow’s current integration with over 30 POS systems, such as Toast, Otter, MobileBytes, and more, Cuboh brings 14 additional integrations to the table, including Clover, Lightspeed, Brink, and more.
“Our ultimate goal is to be the sole platform that restaurants need for their entire takeout business,” says Webb. “In the future, we plan to build even more integrations, including one for catering services.”
By continuously striving for better solutions and expanding their services, ChowNow is dedicated to helping small restaurants succeed in the increasingly competitive world of online ordering. With this new acquisition, they are well on their way to achieving their goals and providing their partners with the best tools and resources available.
