POS provider SpotOn is taking aim at apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats with its own mobile ordering app.
The company launched GoTo Place, a mobile app that lets you order pickup or delivery, make a reservation, join a waitlist, and collect loyalty points.
Restaurants don’t pay commissions on GoTo Place orders, though a flat delivery fee still applies, since fulfillment is handled by DoorDash. It’s a play to give independent restaurants a more cost-effective alternative to traditional delivery apps.
Built for restaurants already using SpotOn’s online ordering software, the app shows nearby restaurants based on the customer’s location. They can also search for specific spots.
“At a time when restaurants are under pressure from rising costs and shifting consumer habits, GoTo puts the power back in the restaurant’s hands,” said Bryan Solar, chief product officer at SpotOn. “GoTo is the kind of branded experience usually reserved for national chains. We’re democratizing that tech for independents.”
“The app doesn’t promote competitors or dilute a restaurant’s brand identity. Instead, it acts as a digital extension of the restaurant,” Solar added.
According to SpotOn, more than 80 percent of consumers now place orders from their phones, and 40 percent return to the same restaurant within a week. GoTo aims to capitalize on those habits.
Related: What’s Next for DoorDash After Acquiring SevenRooms?
This comes as delivery companies continue to expand their influence on the restaurant customer journey. DoorDash, for example, recently entered the reservations space by acquiring SevenRooms. Meanwhile, newer players like Wonder are rolling up delivery and digital ordering into their own versions of a super app.
