Hybrid delivery technology from on-demand delivery management platform Cartwheel is skyrocketing outcomes for restaurants offering catering services. With state-of-the-art software from Cartwheel paired with best-in-class technology from Olo (NYSE: OLO), a leading open SaaS platform for restaurants, restaurants like Illegal Pete’s have seen exponential increases in order volume, order value, and overall tips.  

In 2022, Illegal Pete’s, a Colorado-based group of quick-service, fast-casual “Mission Style” burrito restaurants overhauled its order and delivery processes, implementing Cartwheel to manage deliveries, and Olo to power its direct and third-party digital ordering.  

The chain, which has offered catering services since 2001, was formerly relying on in-house employees to serve as delivery drivers. With Cartwheel’s hybrid delivery model, Illegal Pete’s is now able to manage its high-value catering orders in house, outsourcing the rest to third-party fleets.  

Cartwheel also allowed the brand to implement enhanced delivery features that increased efficiency and provided a better customer experience. Delivery polygons help operators better determine delivery territories and optimize routes, and branded driver tracking links make the delivery experience feel more personalized and consistent, tailoring delivery to ensure it’s in line with brand perceptions.  

Within three months of implementing online ordering capabilities with Olo Dispatch, Olo’s direct delivery solution that automatically connects direct orders with third-party delivery service providers, Illegal Pete’s saw a significant boost of its self-delivery business, powered by Cartwheel. Order volume increased by 50%, average order value increased 11%, and average tip increased 930%, an incredible outcome that would not have been possible without tech-powered delivery systems.  

“Cartwheel has played a crucial role in our success as we shifted catering management online with Olo,” said Jesse Theilman, catering manager, Illegal Pete’s. “The technologies work in tandem, enabling us to optimize our delivery management and ensure we maintain control and offer the best experience possible for our most valuable catering customers.”   

Together, Cartwheel and Olo made it simple for Illegal Pete’s to streamline its customer tipping process. The brand set up a cashless tipping system which made splitting tips between all involved employees easy, saving accounting time and reducing employee turnover, as all are able to trust that tips were handled fairly and transparently.    

“Catering is often among a restaurant’s biggest, most important orders, and it’s so important to consider and optimize the experience for these important, high-value customers,” said Alex Vasilkin, co-founder and CEO, Cartwheel. “Illegal Pete’s is proving that tech that makes it simple to identify and optimize the experience for these customers leads to incredible outcomes, not only for employees in the form of tips, but for the restaurant’s business volume overall.”  

“With the right tech stack and strategic planning, restaurants can streamline operations and reduce stress for staff, all while providing customers with the efficient delivery experience they crave, said Shalin Sheth, SVP & GM of Direct Ordering at Olo. “We’re thrilled to help power Illegal Pete’s – and hundreds of other restaurants – with the tech they need to optimize direct delivery and operations.”  

Cartwheel’s Hybrid Delivery model enables restaurants to use their primary fleets by default, while providing access to backup drivers and tools to manage them during times of high order volume or overflow. This model of delivery management ensures that operators maintain control over the delivery experience while balancing costs and oversight.

The company also offers a turnkey suite of offerings to power delivery services, including an easy-to-use driver app, sophisticated dispatch tools for managers, and user-friendly customer interaction functionality with custom branding. To date, Cartwheel and Olo power deliveries for top brands including Portillo’s (also a Cartwheel investor), P.F. Chang’s, Potbelly, and more.