Why Restaurant Marketing Can't Be One-Size-Fits-All

Our Head of Sales shares why restaurants need partners, not just software, and what "RaaS" really means for independent owners

Mike Liu joined Peppr a few months ago as our Head of Sales, bringing experience from the restaurant tech space and a fresh perspective on what independent operators actually need to succeed. We sat down with him to talk about the gap between software promises and real-world results, why human support matters more than ever, and the straightforward changes restaurants can make today to start growing their direct ordering channels.

You've been talking about RaaS (Results-as-a-Service) versus traditional SaaS. What's the difference?

I'm not saying SaaS is dead. But the traditional SaaS approach of "here are the keys to the software, good luck" doesn't work for most restaurants. Owners don't have time to become marketing experts on top of running their business.

With RaaS, you're not buying software. You're buying outcomes. We run reports with you monthly. During onboarding, we meet weekly. You can always reach a real person. And there's no contract, so if you're not seeing results, you can leave. That's the difference. We only win if you win.

What role does human support play in all this?

It's essential. Restaurant owners don't need another piece of software collecting dust. They need results, and getting results requires human touch. We believe in being actual partners: running strategy sessions, reviewing data together, helping you understand what's working. Technology is just the tool. The partnership is what drives growth.

A lot of restaurants want to drive direct orders but still rely heavily on delivery apps. How do you approach that?

It's about not having the time or expertise to do it right. Building your own ordering channels and retaining customers requires strategy and execution. Most owners know they should do it. They just don't have bandwidth to figure out how. That's where having a partner makes all the difference. We help you build that growth engine.

What's your take on restaurant marketing in general? Is it optional?

Absolutely not. Marketing is not optional anymore. You have to do it. There's that saying: the best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago, but the second best time is now. You have to start somewhere, so why not today?

And it doesn't have to be complicated. Start with your own website. Get online ordering set up properly. Build a loyalty program based on real customer data. Just start.

Speaking of loyalty programs, do they actually work?

They can, but they need to be personalized and data-driven. You can't just give everyone the same discount. If someone already comes in every week, you don't need to incentivize them the same way as someone who hasn't visited in 30 days. That's where tools and data come in: helping you understand customer behavior so you can be strategic about retention.

What's the biggest mistake you see restaurants make with their online ordering?

Two things. First, domain hopping. Don't send customers to a third-party website when they try to order. Keep them on your site. Every time you redirect to another company's ordering page, you're losing control of that customer relationship.

Second, menu optimization. This is huge and hardly anyone does it right. Your most popular items and best deals go at the top. Easy-to-make, fast-cook items in the middle. Upsell opportunities at the bottom. This is proven to work, but most restaurants have never even thought about it strategically.

When a restaurant owner says "I can't afford a website," what's your response?

You're not buying a website. You're buying a growth engine. You don't need an ordering system. You need something that grows your business. As long as the online ordering justifies its cost through increased revenue, it's a smart business investment. The question isn't whether you can afford it. It's whether you can afford not to have it.

What's the one piece of advice you'd give any restaurant owner today?

Build your own first-party channels and retain your own customers. Stop being completely dependent on third-party platforms that take huge cuts of your revenue. Yes, you still need to play ball with DoorDash and others. They bring orders. But you also need to be building your own direct relationships. That's the path to sustainable growth.