Salad House expands with Uber Eats and Uber Direct
October 17, 2023 | United States
On a mission to bring premium chopped salad to the people, Salad House opened its first location, in Millburn, New Jersey, in 2011. Today the hugely successful chain boasts 11 locations, a number slated to grow to as many as 20 locations by the end of 2023.
Salad House offers a fast-casual experience that’s welcoming, healthy, and family-friendly. It’s a fresh concept that’s proving to be a hit with consumers, especially those looking to pick up their food or have it delivered on demand to their home or office.
of all orders are placed online
new customers per quarter
return on ad spending
The shift to online ordering
Salad House is building customer loyalty and driving growth with excellent food and convenient online ordering and delivery experiences. With 64% of its business now coming from online orders, technology systems are critical to the success of its overall customer experience. Salad House has woven technology into its corporate DNA under the guidance of Jarrod Bravo, Director of Operations. Bravo grew up with the business, starting as a cashier at the first location before being promoted to manager, then general manager. Today he’s in charge of operations across all Salad House locations and responsible for running his own franchise location in Montclair, New Jersey. We spoke with Bravo about the restaurant technology Salad House is using, including how Uber is helping Salad House grow and thrive.
Better together: Uber Eats and Uber Direct
Salad House relies on a strong relationship with Uber to help grow online orders and build customer loyalty. Avid customers of Uber Eats and Uber Direct, Salad House leverages both services to drive growth. Bravo reports that two-thirds of all online orders come through third-party apps like Uber Eats, with the rest coming from its own website, mobile app, and phone orders. Salad House uses Uber Direct to deliver 85% of the orders that come in through its own channels. “As a partner, Uber has surpassed the competition by a wide margin,” says Bravo. “And it’s all because of the relationship we’ve built together. Both Uber Eats and Uber Direct are critical to our success.”
“Uber Eats and Uber Direct are a winning combo. Uber Eats helps bring Salad House to audiences that may have never known about us. Uber Direct makes it easier to deliver to our loyal customers who order directly from our website or app.”
Jarrod Bravo, Director of Operations
Integrated systems improve operations
As a multi-location operation, Salad House sees technology as a critical factor in its success, especially given its own focus on online and takeout orders. The company preemptively upgraded its POS system back in 2015. And then—just before the pandemic hit—completed a POS integration that seamlessly consolidates all online orders into a single system flow. This led to a reduction in order errors, improved operational efficiency, and increased customer satisfaction. Bravo reports that the conversion was a challenge at first, but he encourages other operators to “get on that train. Once you figure out the tech side, it actually makes your operations so much easier.”
Visibility is key
Customer loyalty is one of the biggest priorities at Salad House. The company wants customers to order from its diverse and customizable menu multiple times a week. At first, Bravo didn’t appreciate the power of Uber Eats’ promotions to help achieve that goal. But now, he says, “whenever there’s something new, my philosophy is, let's try it.” On average, Salad House now runs 2 Uber Eats promotions every month: “one to target new customers and another to keep current customers engaged,” says Bravo. “The numbers don't lie. Uber promos are an effective way to reward customer loyalty and keep people coming back.”
A partnership that leads to success
Bravo refers to his work with Uber as “a relationship that focuses on our success.” He meets regularly with his account managers, Mikaela and Dante, and appreciates their feedback and suggestions, which are often based on data about the business. That includes a breakdown of new customers and an ROI analysis of Uber promotions. “Having Dante and Mikaela in our corner is a valuable investment,” says Bravo. “We really are like a team. They regularly check in and visit. They know our people. We text often and bounce ideas and promos off each other.” Big on data that helps him stay on top of the business, Bravo also leverages Uber Eats Manager to track results, troubleshoot missed orders, and build a relationship with his customers.
Insights to help drive growth
Given the chain’s success, expansion opportunities are on everyone’s mind. Uber has helped Salad House make smarter decisions about where to open its next location. With a pricing structure that varies based on delivery distance, Uber Direct invoices show Bravo and team how much of the first-party business at each location is being served to customers located within a zero-to-3-, 3-to-5-, and 5-to-8-mile radius. “We used to have a 3-mile territory,” says Bravo. “But it looks like we’ll be upping that to 5 miles because of the insights we get from Uber Direct.”
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