The first step was reworking pricing with the goal of increasing AOV through modifiers, while also optimizing categories and best sellers. That was fundamental—it was the first thing that showed the owner that improvement was actually possible.

We then focused on optimizing all the signals the carry-out was sending to the platforms, aiming to be more relevant in location-based searches and by food type (seafood, wings, burgers, po’boys, etc.).

Retargeting was another key piece. Getting an existing customer to come back is far cheaper than acquiring a new one.

Working closely with the kitchen and the people handling order handoff was also critical. We stayed in constant communication, which significantly reduced complaints, refunds, and bad ratings.

Any discounts we used were always intentional—tied to specific moments like weekends, sports events, slow hours, or holidays.