Case Study
Mr. B’s x Chowly Platform
“Before, we had people taking orders over the phone, re-entering them into tablets, and sending them to the kitchen… it was chaos. Once the Chowly Platform fixed that, we just took off.”
That’s where the Chowly Platform came in.
but the digital side of the business lagged behind.
Orders came in almost entirely by phone, forcing staff to write tickets, re-enter them into tablets, and send them to the kitchen. Third-party apps helped during COVID, but the 20–30% commissions cut deeply into margins and customer data never came back to the restaurant.
To reduce the chaos, Harvey first adopted Chowly’s direct integration, which sent third-party orders straight into the POS. That solved the worst of the tablet clutter, but it didn’t address the bigger picture. Customers still lacked a simple way to order directly, catering was hard to capture, and seasonal surges like Thanksgiving overwhelmed the phone lines.
The bottom line: Mr. B’s needed a complete digital storefront — one that could evolve beyond direct integration to bring first-party ordering, marketing, and catering under one roof.
What started as a way to clean up tablet chaos during COVID became the foundation for building a complete digital storefront.
Step one: Direct Integration. By routing DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub orders directly into Lightspeed POS, Mr. B’s eliminated re-entry errors and reduced the front-of-house scramble. For the first time, delivery orders flowed cleanly into the kitchen.
Step two: First-Party Ordering. With tablet chaos resolved, Harvey saw the need to capture guests directly. Chowly helped launch a conversion-ready website, shifting orders off costly marketplaces and into a channel Mr. B’s owned. Suddenly, families could order Sunday dinner with a few clicks — and Mr. B’s kept 20–30% more per ticket.
Step three: The Platform. From kickoff to go-live in just 30 days, Mr. B’s went live on the Chowly Platform with a complete suite of tools:
• Integrated online ordering → direct and third-party orders flow into one kitchen system.
• Conversion-ready website → built to drive direct sales.
• Google Business Profile cleanup → menus, hours, and branding aligned across search.
• Digital marketing campaigns → Google Ads tied to real orders.
• Catering online → streamlined family meals and holiday surges through the website.
In just over a month, Mr. B’s went from outdated systems and phone-order chaos to a fully functioning digital storefront. Instead of playing catch-up, the restaurant could finally grow on its own terms — profitably, sustainably, and without losing the comfort-food roots that make it a community staple.
“People want convenience. When they can order Sunday dinner for the whole family on our website and just come pick it up, that’s a game-changer. It saves us time and makes it easier for them.”
Since implementing the Chowly Platform, Mr. B’s has:
• Added +$31,309 in integrated online-order revenue (Jan–Apr vs. May–Aug 2025)
• Increased online orders by 29% (2,785 → 3,593 orders)
• Generated $126,526 in online revenue in just four months
• Kept food costs stable (29–30%) despite a broad comfort-food menu
• Maintained consistent profitability, netting ~$50K annually on ~$900K–$1M sales
• Balanced work-life harmony with a four-day schedule while still matching or exceeding five-day sales
• Streamlined holiday surges and built catering into a new growth channel
“I’ve been really impressed with Chowly—the service, the communication, and the results. What they told me they could do actually happened, and it’s made a real difference for us.”
The results go beyond the numbers. Moving takeout and catering online freed up staff, reduced errors, and gave guests a faster, easier way to order. Holiday spikes like Thanksgiving and Easter, once overwhelming, can now be managed more cleanly through the website.
The Chowly Platform turned a beloved, family-run soul food spot into a profitable, digital-first business, without losing the comfort-food charm and personal hospitality that keep customers coming back. For Harvey and his family, the return isn’t just financial, it’s time: time to celebrate anniversaries, time with grandkids who help out on Sundays, and time to keep doing what they love without burning out.
Payouts from January - April vs May - August, 2025
By starting with direct integration, then adding first-party ordering, and ultimately embracing the full Chowly Platform, Mr. B’s transformed phone chaos and third-party reliance into sustainable, direct growth.
The lesson for independent restaurant operators is clear: profitability doesn’t come from adding more tools or chasing traffic. It comes from owning your digital storefront, streamlining operations, and capturing more orders where guests already are. The Chowly Platform delivers exactly that, helping restaurants like Mr. B’s thrive outside the four walls while preserving what makes them special.
Key Takeways:
• Start with integration, then scale into a full digital storefront.
• Replace phone and tablet chaos with one streamlined flow.
• Keep margins healthy by driving first-party orders and catering online.
• Profitability = more than dollars. It’s time saved, stress reduced, and customers served better.
