Tech startup Storyous, which is part of the portfolio of the Rockaway Capital investment group and provides cash register systems and operations management to restaurants, has a new strategic investor: SaltPay, a leading European FinTech player that provides innovative and complete payment solutions for businesses and a related payment eco-system.
These are truly trying times for restaurateurs. Only slightly over half of restaurants are open, and in October revenues in the industry dropped by 49 % compared to last year. The only options now available to keep a restaurant going are to have a take-out window or deliver food to customers’ homes. However, the most popular delivery services often operate on terms that make it untenable for many restaurants to work with them. Storyous, which focuses of developing technologies for the restaurant industry, and Zdeněk Pohlreich, a popular chef and owner of of several successful restaurants, have therefore come up with an alternative platform, OneMenu.cz, which is built on fairness to customers, delivery services, and especially restaurants. The project’s delivery partner is successful Czech transport company Liftago.
Through the eyes of the restaurant business, this year is really not looking like a good one. Restaurant revenues are a quarter of what they once, and they have to fight for every customer. But when I look around, I can’t shake the impression that in many cases they’re fighting a losing battle. And yet they don’t have to. For several years now, Rockaway Capital has had a couple of companies in its portfolio that have perfectly merged two important ingredients: the restaurant industry and digitalization. And as the group’s investment partner, I can say with a clear conscience that no matter what, this is the road we have to take, my dear restaurateurs. Even if it means spending a few sleepless nights over your laptop. And as they say, yesterday was too late.
Restaurateurs throughout the Czech Republic have been severely tested in recent months. It is abundantly clear that many people will lose their jobs (hopefully temporarily, in some cases). Storyous, which develops technology for the restaurant industry, is therefore now trying to help them. It is launching a programme entitled “Save jobs in the restaurant industry”, which will offer work to people who have lost their jobs in the restaurant industry due to anti-pandemic measures.
Order using your phone right at the table. Safely and comfortably. Also pay from your seat when you want to leave, without having to flag down a waiter. This is another part of the Restaurant of the Future concept that is being introduced by Storyous. You can already try it out today in the Červený Jelen restaurant in Prague. During the time of the global pandemic, it also offers the ability to order food without the need to touch a menu that could collect viruses or bacteria.
The next couple of weeks may ravage the Czech restaurant industry. Some restaurants have already closed entirely, while others are reporting only a fraction of former revenues. It is no exaggeration to say that once the quarantine is lifted we won’t have anywhere to go for a beer and social culture in the Czech Republic will be hit hard. At Storyous, however, we’re not giving up. And you can help too.
