Case Study
Nora Restaurant & Bar x Chowly Platform
What Happens When a New Restaurant Starts with the Right Tech Stack
+$3,286.50
Increase in integrated online-order revenue
+34%
Increase in orders online
+$59%
Increase in 1st Party Online Ordering share
“Before opening Nora, I helped run 14 virtual restaurant concepts across Chicago—managing racks of tablets that cluttered counters and slowed operations. That experience made me determined to start Nora with everything streamlined from day one.”
Introduction
You might remember our original case study on Nora Restaurant & Bar because the results spoke for themselves. But that was only the start.
Since then, the Mediterranean restaurant and bar in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood has made its boldest move yet:
Going all-in on the Chowly Platform.
When Nora first opened in 2024, founders Benny and Phil Siddu—also behind Volare Restaurant, —a longtime Chowly customer—built their concept on a strong operational foundation.
Using Toast POS integrated with Chowly, they connected 1st Party Online Ordering and 3rd Party Marketplace Integration from day one, creating a seamless flow from order to kitchen.
With just 55 seats, Nora operates in a relatively small space, so efficiency wasn’t optional—it was essential. Phil set out to maximize every possible revenue channel, using off-premise and online orders to maintain steady traffic and fill gaps between dine-in rushes. As the business grew, so did its digital ambitions—and that’s where the Chowly Platform comes in.
By expanding from integrations to the full platform, Nora gained access to over ten marketing and profitability tools, including a fully-branded, SEO and AI optimized Marketing Website, Google Business Profile optimizations, and automated Customer Surveys Together, these tools help Nora attract, convert, and retain customers in a competitive market.
Now entering its second year, Nora is proof that growth doesn’t depend on square footage. With the Chowly Platform powering both operations and marketing under one roof, the restaurant continues to scale smartly—serving more guests, driving more orders, and staying focused on what it does best: delivering remarkable hospitality.
Challenge
Nora had the food, the following, and the efficiency—but space was the limitation. With just 55 seats in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood, growth couldn’t come from adding more tables. Every order, every channel, and every guest interaction had to count.
From day one, founder Phil Siddu built a strong foundation with Toast POS integrated through Chowly, connecting first-party and third-party orders into one streamlined system. Operations ran smoothly—but as Nora’s popularity grew, the question became how to keep scaling without adding staff or square footage.
Phil needed to turn operational efficiency into sustained growth. Off-premise and online orders helped fill gaps between dine-in rushes, but visibility, marketing, and repeat engagement still relied on manual effort. Around that same time, Chowly was evolving too—expanding beyond integration into a complete restaurant platform designed to power both operations and marketing.
The moment was right. Nora was ready to grow beyond the four walls, and Chowly was ready to help them uplevel.
“Chowly came in and took 75 tablets down to one printer overnight. That single change saved us a ton of time, space, and stress.”
The Shift
Step One: POS Integration. The first step was integrating Toast POS with third-party marketplaces like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. This connection eliminated manual re-entry, reduced order errors, and ensured every ticket flowed seamlessly to the kitchen. For a restaurant where timing defines the experience, this clarity brought instant relief.
Step Two: Online Ordering. Once Nora’s operations were steady, Phil turned his attention to first-party online ordering. With Chowly’s support, Nora launched a branded Marketing Website designed to drive direct sales while maintaining full control of the guest experience. The new system allowed guests to order pickup and delivery directly from the restaurant—keeping more margin in-house and building a valuable base of customer data for marketing.
Step Three: Chowly Platform. As volume grew, Nora expanded to the full Chowly Platform. Phil had been searching for a loyalty solution that worked both online and in-house, but when Chowly first launched the Platform, the feature wasn’t yet available. Rather than compromise with another provider, he waited. A few months later, Chowly reached back out to share that loyalty was live—and Nora immediately came on board.
That decision paid off. Within the first two months, Chowly’s team and Nora collaborated on more than 40 updates to the restaurant’s digital presence—from website enhancements and menu optimizations to new promotions and SEO schema improvements. Regular check-ins kept everything evolving: fine-tuning loyalty settings, analyzing Google Ads data, and applying insights from AI-driven search to boost visibility and conversion.
“We started with third-party delivery, but Chowly anticipated what we’d need next—first-party ordering, digital marketing, and growth beyond delivery.”
By connecting first-party online ordering, loyalty, and marketing within one platform, Nora gained a single source of truth for performance and guest engagement—a scalable framework that supports both growth and consistency. That consolidation didn’t just streamline operations—it fundamentally changed Nora’s sales mix. Direct orders quickly became the dominant channel, capturing more than four out of every five online orders.
The Results
With Chowly Platform as its digital foundation, Nora has seen steady growth, smoother operations, and measurable results across every channel.
Since implementing Chowly Platform, Nora Restaurant & Bar has:
• Added +$3,286.50 Added in online order revenue
• Increased +34% in online orders week-over-week
• Increased $40.38 average basket size
• Maintained 100% order success rate
• Completed 40 + platform feature deployments in the past two months
• Enabled enhanced checkout, loyalty, and AI-powered marketing tools
“Have your tech stack ready from day one. That’s easy revenue you could be capturing as soon as you open the doors—or even before.”
Before adopting the full Chowly Platform, over 47% of Nora’s off-premise orders came through third-party apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Within eight weeks of expanding to the full platform, direct orders jumped from 52.6% to 83.8% of total online sales—reducing third-party reliance by more than half and keeping significantly more profit in-house.
Technology has also brought the brand’s hospitality full circle. What began as a focus on off-premise has evolved into a seamless bridge between digital and in-person dining. Nora’s new loyalty program allows guests to earn and redeem rewards anywhere they order—strengthening repeat business and bringing a sense of connection that mirrors the experience inside the restaurant.
Phil sees that integration as the most important shift of all. “What’s changed the most since my ghost-kitchen days is how on-premise and off-premise finally overlap,” he said. “Guests can order online, earn points, and use them when they dine in. It’s all working together now.”
For Phil and his team, Chowly has made it possible to grow confidently without sacrificing what matters most—great food, great service, and genuine connection.
Conclusion
Nora Restaurant & Bar proves that when a restaurant starts with the right tech stack, growth follows naturally. By integrating Toast POS, first-party online ordering, and the full Chowly Platform, Phil Siddu built a connected system that runs as smoothly as his kitchen.
For Phil, it’s about balance—honoring family tradition while using modern tools to deliver better hospitality. With Chowly, every order, update, and guest interaction now works together to support the same goal: a seamless experience from table to takeout.
Key Takeways:
• Start with POS integration to reduce errors and save time.
• Add first-party ordering to keep more margin in-house.
• Scale into the full Chowly Platform for marketing and AI insights.
• A strong digital foundation creates room for hospitality to shine.
• Build systems that scale with growth.
