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FoodBev Media
10 April 2024
Bite secures $9m to accelerate self-service kiosk tech
US-based kiosk ordering software provider, Bite, has secured $9 million in a Series A funding round led by Staley Capital. The round saw participation from Graham Partners, Food-X, One Way Ventures and Tamarisc Ventures. The company will use the funding to fuel its growth, with a focus on enterprise restaurant brands, emerging fast casual brands and c-stores. Bite plans to invest in scaling its technology solutions with its existing partners, as well as onboarding new clients. The company will also continue to invest in its technology capabilities, including its patented AI, Bite Lift, which analyses each order in real time to offer personalised upsell recommendations, a key to driving higher average check sizes. Bite’s customisable, user-friendly software is designed to seamlessly integrate into existing tech stacks, ensuring improved order accuracy, increased throughput and enhanced customer satisfaction. Bite’s CEO Brandon Barton said: “Bite’s self-service kiosk software gives restaurants the tools to succeed in environment, by leveraging our technology for tasks that can be digitised and reallocating labour to higher priority responsibilities, including greeting guests, preparing food and managing the handoff of completed orders.” He continued: “Coupled with our use of AI to personalise the ordering experience, we are also able to help offset increasing labour costs by driving higher average checks per order...We look forward to executing on our ambitious growth plans by helping restaurants grow revenue and improve both employee satisfaction and the guest experience.” Renny Smith, managing partner at Staley Capital, commented: “Bite’s technology platform is a gamechanger for restaurants who are looking for ways to offset the significant cost pressures on their business, while elevating the in-restaurant experience in a way that engages guests more favourably and increases check sizes. Our focus is on partnering with growth-stage B2B technology companies that provide ‘better, faster, cheaper’ solutions with compelling value propositions, and Bite delivers on that in meaningful ways, allowing restaurants to work smarter and faster in servicing their guests.” Joe Unger, brand president and COO at Gosh Enterprises, the owner of BIBIBOP Asian Grill, Charleys Philly Steaks, and Lennys Grill & Subs, concluded: “Bite streamlines the ordering and payment process for our guests and allows our valued team members and franchisees the ability to spend more time providing delicious food and great guest experiences. Plus, order suggestions recommended via Bite Lift truly personalise the guest experience by guiding our guests to great additions that complement their existing order. Our partnership with Bite has been a game changer, as we bolster our portfolio and rapidly expand our existing concepts.”