The mobile point of sale vendor ShopKeep has purchased ChowBot, an online order-and-pay software tool for restaurants, with plans to broadly integrate the new feature into its services for small businesses.
ChowBot, launched in 2015 by the San Francisco-based startup Meerchant, will be available to ShopKeep’s clients beginning next year, the company said in a March 14 press release.
ShopKeep, which is based in New York, will integrate ChowBot directly into its POS system, enabling restaurants and bars to connect their internal ordering systems to their websites to create a streamlined process for customers to order, pay and make selections for a pickup location online, according to ShopKeep’s release.
“It can be especially challenging for restaurants in the SMB category to offer their customers online order and delivery options—they are often stuck choosing between paying steep costs for the capability, relinquishing control of the customer experience or not having an online presence at all,” ShopKeep CEO Michael DeSimone said in the release.
ShopKeep is used by more than 23,000 small businesses, including 8,500 dining establishments, the company said. ChowBot is adaptable for a wide range of operations, from quick-service and full-service restaurants to bars, ShopKeep said.
