Olo

Open beats closed, every time. Michael Lauricella describes how tech partners like SoundHound AI and restaurant brands alike thrive in an open ecosystem. Watch the full conversation with Sean J. Marrero: https://lnkd.in/drMYXiBa

When the deal fell through at the 11th hour, we had a choice to make. In late 2012, the mighty 12-person Team Olo was ready for what came next after talks to be acquired by a financial giant. Then everything collapsed at the last minute. I had to walk into the office and deliver soul-crushing news to people who'd been expecting celebration. Our bank balance was dwindling. The future was unclear. By every measure, it looked like failure. So what did we do? Early in the morning, we went to a karaoke bar as it was opening, drank stale beer, and sang "Don't Stop Believin’" at the top of our lungs. It became our anthem: a musical embodiment of our battle cry to “Embrace the Suck.” That day, 12 people who could have quit chose to rally instead. At some point, the cards will be stacked against you. The "sure thing" will fall through. You'll have every rational reason to walk away. But sometimes the only thing standing between failure and breakthrough is faith in yourself and those around you. Choose grit. Don’t stop believin’!

California Fish Grill is now officially open on the East Coast! Preston Wyatt stopped by the new Fairfax, VA location for a Friends and Family event and enjoyed the brand's signature hospitality and delicious food.

"Our industry is the light. We get to care for people and make them happy billions of times a day—make them feel special, seen, and part of a community." This came up in conversation with Alice Cheng on the Hospitality On The Rise podcast, and it's something I think we all need to hear more often. Alice has created something special with this show—real conversations about the paths people take in hospitality, the challenges we face, and why this work matters. We talked about everything from early career pivots to finding product-market fit to building tech that actually serves the industry (not the other way around). If you work in hospitality or care about the people who do, this podcast is worth your time. Alice and the Culinary Agents team are doing important work spotlighting the stories and leaders shaping our industry. https://lnkd.in/e_tBaYQ4

🚨 Just in: Beyond4 registration is OPEN! This private, invite-only event creates a unique space for restaurant leaders shaping the future of our industry. Attendees experience hospitality-first innovation and build genuine connections with influential operators, all within the breathtaking atmosphere of the Arizona Biltmore. Are you a restaurant operator who didn't get your invite link? Comment below!

Yoshinoya America franchisees literally burst into applause after the announcement that the brand was returning to Olo after 17 months with another provider. The results since returning: ✨ 88% reduction in monthly chargebacks 💰 $200K+ in fraudulent charges blocked in just 4 months ⏱️ Menu updates now take under 20 minutes (vs. 3-5 days) "We switched providers hoping to cut costs, but we lost too much in terms of service, time, ease of use, and value," says Jason Perovich, VP of Technology at Yoshinoya. Read the full case study: https://lnkd.in/ekc_v3sj

Our Fall Product Release is here! Get the highlights with Joyce Lin and join us for a webinar diving into all the new features and enhancements: https://lnkd.in/eEz8Sf9f

You can't fix what you can't see. Restaurant operators don't have time for guesswork. And I could be wrong here, but most don’t have access to a crystal ball 🔮 Operators need to know which menu items are secret weapons and which are quietly killing margins. To understand why guests come back—or don't. In today’s product release, we announced that Olo Guest Intelligence (OGI) now provides operators with menu analytics for online orders, meaning operators can finally see which dishes build loyalty, which may cause churn, and how promos actually perform. No more flying blind on LTOs or throwing marketing dollars at items that don't move the needle. With menu intelligence, retention rates, visit frequency, and average spend are no longer educated guesses—they're precise metrics pulled from real transactions across every channel. Know your numbers. Own your menu. Win more guests.

Let's taco 'bout it: today is #NationalTacoDay 🌮 What's your taco order and your go-to spot?

This Thursday, join us for our Fall product release webinar 🍂 From a refreshed menu that boosts ticket values to menu intelligence that shows you exactly what's working (and what's not), this Fall Release is designed to help you convert one-time guests into regulars. Register: https://lnkd.in/esRw3E-X