Starting out life as a humble takeaway menu delivered out of Dimeji’s flat, this 100% plant-based take-away and sit-down restaurant has established itself a go-to fast-food option for plant-based lovers in UK cities having featured in Manchester and London. Discover how Square helped the burgeoning business handle a huge surge in orders and expand into major UK cities.
Dimeji was initially attracted to Square as it offered next day bank transfers – a necessity for the business in the early stages as ingredients were purchased daily using profits from the previous day’s earnings.
But getting paid quickly wasn’t the only draw. As Vegan Shack began to take off, Dimeji needed to graduate from using just a pen and paper to keep track of orders. With Square, he could easily print and keep up with orders coming in through their website, allowing for far more seamless operations.
Discover the many more ways Square helped the plant-based spot achieve an impressive 130% approx. growth year on year since starting out.
How Square helped Vegan Shack overcome a unique set of challenges
Keeping track of orders
When the business was first getting off the ground, Dimeji and his team were writing down website orders manually. Using Square, they were able to automate and streamline the process of receiving and completing orders, helping them keep up with and meet the increased demand.
Having all solutions in one place
Dimeji especially loves how, with Square, all tools and operations are available through one platform. While he was initially using different programs to manage orders, staff and inventory, he quickly transitioned to overseeing everything through Square.
Managing different software and integrations through one system makes Square so easy to use. Instead of 5 different solutions, you only need one. ”
Dimeji Sadiq → owner and founder, Vegan Shack
Integrates with delivery partners
Handling orders and deliveries is made far easier through integrations with Deliverect (for food delivery services such as Deliveroo and UberEats).
Square aggregates all of our online Delivery partners so they show up on the kitchen display system. This is amazing for everyone in the kitchen and anyone handling orders. ”
Dimeji Sadiq → owner and founder, Vegan Shack
Opening new locations
When Vegan Shack was ready for expansion, Dimeji felt confident using Square to help him launch in new locations. He particularly liked how easy it was to add new locations to the software and transfer menus across. Through a single screen, he’s now able to oversee operations in two restaurants locations, as well as tweak prices and rules for different sites.
Training staff to use Square was a breeze
Vegan Shack employees were able to get up and running with Square within 20 minutes. Thanks to ease of use, extensive training sessions aren’t necessary and even brand new team members feel confident using the tablets and readers.
As long as staff members can use a smartphone, I can set them up on Square quickly and easily. ”
Dimeji Sadiq → owner and founder, Vegan Shack
How Square continues to support Vegan Shack
Access reports and analytics
Dimeji is a particular fan of how easy it is to access in-depth reports on customer activity, orders and more, offering key insights into which products are selling the best. Giving the example of hot chocolate, he was able to notice and plan reordering the ingredients. With the report revealing how well the item had sold recently, it mitaged disruptions to their offering. He was then able to use this information to assess the continuation of the beverage, including its price going forward.
With all that information, you can see which items are selling well. You might then decide to bring an item back, let it go, or just act accordingly. ”
Dimeji Sadiq → owner and founder, Vegan Shack
Improving employee satisfaction
Through using Square software, Vegan Shack employees can log and track their hours, request time off and see how much they’re going to be paid. The ease of access to this information creates a trusting environment with staff, boosting employee retention and creating a pleasant team atmosphere.
Keeping customers happy and loyal
Vegan Shack uses Square Loyalty, enabling customers to gain rewards with each order to receive money off and bonus items. This is a great way to give back to your customers, showcase that you value them, and gain their repeat custom.
