After India-based restaurant technology firm UrbanPiper acquired similar American company Ordermark in June 2023, it had its first foothold into the U.S. market. This was big. But the company knew not to rush things. Before it did anything else, it went on a listening tour. Company leaders got out their passports and made several trips to the country. They emerged with several suitcases full of insights, some jet lag, and optimism for its North American future.
“I did nine trips in 10 months,” said Saurabh Gupta, co-founder and CEO of UrbanPiper. “We traveled from coast to coast, spending over 15 days in each key city, connecting with restaurant operators and attending industry-standard events.”
He visited Ordermark customers and reassured them there would be no disruption in service.
“We wanted to make sure they’re happy with what they’ve been using and we won’t be changing that,” he said.
Those conversations had an alternative purpose. Intel gathering.
“We asked for input on what we could do to make Ordermark better,” he said.
He brought these insights back to the product and engineering team, enabling them to tailor the platform to meet the specific needs of the U.S. restaurant community. After a year of refining, the company started to roll out a new message to U.S. customers.
“We told them we have a much better version of Ordermark, and it just takes a click to convert you to UrbanPiper for free,” he said.
“We told them we have a much better version of Ordermark and it just takes a click to convert you to UrbanPiper for free,” he said.
While UrbanPiper services some of the world’s largest restaurant brands in its global operation, including Pizza Hut and Subway, it sees an opportunity in the U.S. with smaller operators.
“Many smaller operators haven’t yet adopted middleware or integration tools, and we see a tremendous opportunity to help them streamline their operations,” he said. “In bigger restaurant chains, technology is widely adopted, but the pace of adopting the latest developments can sometimes be slow. This means they might not always take full advantage of the new advancements we’ve developed to address evolving needs.”
Urban Piper boasts more than 350 POS integrations and has set itself a goal to expand its presence in the U.S. from 5,000 to 50,000 restaurant locations by 2027. It touts the quality of its data-driven insights, which can be easily consumed through tailored reports, heat maps, and filters.
Gupta knows this is a big market with a big upside and he’s determined to juice the orange.
“I completed my master’s at the University of Southern California, not far from Ordermark’s headquarters, so expanding into the U.S. has felt like a homecoming in many ways,” he said. “It’s been rewarding to reconnect with old friends, build new relationships, and engage with industry peers.The U.S. market is highly dynamic, and I’ve found its collaborative spirit both refreshing and inspiring as we work to deliver value to the U.S. restaurant community.”
Now just to beat jet lag.
