Customer Stories

Tomlinson Brands increases sales by $32K/month by switching to first-party

Keegan Barone
Marketing Associate

With new ghost kitchen brands popping up on every corner, the “Virtual Kitchen Revolution” is officially sweeping the nation — Tomlinson Brands is one pioneer leading the charge.

Tomlinson isn’t just a brand; it’s a ghost kitchen universe. They’re home to 8 different brands and concepts, with a virtual gourmet grocery under development. Whether it’s a basket of beignets or a handful of fried chicken, great thought, love, and care are present in all of their concepts.

Tomlinson Brands comprise a virtual food hall — a new concept built for the 2020s. With one sit-down location, they host many different venues via Bbot’s food hall-friendly online menu platform. Guests scan the QR codes at the table, ordering from many cuisines without being limited to one specific brand.

So how did Tomlinson increase their average monthly sales by $32K in 2020, enabling them to acquire more brands?

We chatted with Aley Oberdorf, a delivery driver turned Operations Manager, to learn more about how Tomlinson Brands has grown to success.

Stats on how Tomlinson has grown and improved since 2020.

Juggling dine-in, pickup, takeout, and delivery

Virtual food halls and ghost kitchen brands are a great way to save money on real estate and create diverse food options. However, these concepts come with their own set of challenges. A large part of revenue relies on delivery, and Tomlinson needed a solution that could increase pickup times and the number of orders flowing in.

Hosting such a diverse group of brands made earning revenue from repeat delivery customers challenging. After all, guest loyalty comes from brand identity and recognition — with such a wide array of options, how does a ghost kitchen universe create that essential voice?

Tomlinson Brands needed greater brand unification between concepts for more orders and faster delivery.

Build greater brand loyalty to drive sales

Tomlinson Brands adopted Bbot’s innovative ordering solutions to create a more consistent, branded menu set, creating a Tomlinson food universe on par with Marvel’s Cinematic counterpart.

Tomlinson Brands maintained full autonomy over its brand by customizing its online ordering platform and at-table QR codes. As time passed, they achieved a 60% increase in ghost kitchen delivery requests from 2020. This hike was a huge win for a business that had been patiently waiting for orders to come in.

Burger and fry meal from one of Tomlinson Brands’ vendors.

With this new demand in their sights, Tomlinson Brands integrated Bbot into their pipeline, speeding up their ordering process and getting orders out faster than ever. They can now personalize and design multiple fulfillment methods, enabling them to take orders for curbside pickup, take out, and delivery. 

“We saw a decrease in how long it took for orders to come out of the kitchen and get delivered across the board,” Oberdorf said. 

This 20-minute decrease in delivery time led to higher reviews, more re-orders, and happier customers. Tomlinson has better control over its entire delivery system, putting the power back in the hands of the operators.

Decrease in delivery times, increase in revenue

Tomlinson Brands continues to thrive as we move through the pandemic, adding to their universe of ghost kitchen brands with more concepts. Stephen McRae, Chief Operating Officer, remains optimistic about the future of Tomlinson and has big plans for what’s next.

Quote from Tomlinson Brands’ operations manager on how Bbot helped their business.

“We’re excited to be able to grow and add on to our existing brands. It’s been great seeing where we’re going and how easy it’s been to get there.”

With the support of Bbot’s contactless ordering and delivery solution at their fingertips, this dream is becoming a genuine possibility. Oberdorf, hired after the Bbot adoption, can’t imagine a world where Tomlinson Brands doesn’t rely on the QR codes and online menus to serve their loyal diners.

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