When Dan Simpson joined Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe as a franchisee and operating partner 12 years ago, he encountered a brand with tremendous heart but limited infrastructure. The restaurant had a great founder and an exceptional menu, but like many startups, it lacked the talent and technology needed to scale effectively.
Today, as CEO for the past eight years, Simpson leads a transformed organization spanning 110 locations across 17 states with over 3,000 employees. The journey from Taziki’s 1.0 to 2.0 required preserving the brand’s core values while fundamentally changing the systems that would enable growth.
When Simpson first joined the leadership team as Chief Innovation Officer, Taziki’s was struggling to answer essential business questions. The brand needed insights into customer preferences, optimal scheduling that balanced staff needs with economic realities, and accurate inventory and waste tracking.
Amanda Perez, now a market leader with 12 years at Taziki’s, experienced these operational challenges firsthand. The manual processes consumed valuable time that could have been spent on hospitality and team development.
As Taziki’s expanded beyond 20, 30, and eventually 50 restaurants, the limitations became critical. The brand had a genuine scaling opportunity, but it needed something more modern, more mature, and capable of growing alongside the business.
Simpson’s team conducted an exhaustive search for the right technology solution. They needed a platform that could cover the full operational continuum:
Restaurant365 emerged as the clear choice. The platform mirrored Taziki’s existing workflows while operating at a much larger and more sophisticated scale. Equally important, Restaurant365 demonstrated a commitment to continuous investment and improvement.
Simpson emphasizes that they weren’t just looking for a product but a true partnership. Restaurant365 proved willing to deliver on that promise.
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How Taziki’s Mediterranean Café Gained Data Visibility and Transformed Decision-Making with Restaurant365
The implementation of Restaurant365 fundamentally changed how Taziki’s operates at the unit level. The platform transformed the core of the tech stack and revolutionized general managers’ lives, cutting their administrative time in half.
For team members like Perez, the difference was immediately apparent. Instead of juggling multiple systems and paper processes, everything consolidated into a single platform accessible from computers, tablets, and phones.
For instance, the inventory process provides a clear example of the operational transformation. What once required six hours of manual counting and data entry now takes two to three hours maximum. Multiple team members can simultaneously conduct different types of inventory across various locations using just a phone or tablet.
The flexibility extends beyond the restaurant walls. Managers can review and manage inventory from anywhere, whether on an airplane or at home, providing unprecedented operational agility.
The partnership with Restaurant365 delivered concrete results across Taziki’s operations:
Simpson is a firm believer in making restaurants easier to operate. The industry is complicated enough without adding unnecessary complexity through inadequate technology.
This philosophy aligns with Taziki’s broader mission of servant leadership and hospitality. The brand serves not just meals but entire communities. By rejecting operational chaos and committing to genuine human engagement, Taziki’s differentiates itself in an increasingly disconnected world.
Restaurant365 enables this focus by handling the operational complexity behind the scenes, freeing leaders and team members to concentrate on what matters most: people and hospitality.
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The transformation from Taziki’s 1.0 to 2.0 demonstrates that preserving a brand’s heart while upgrading its operational foundation isn’t just possible but essential for sustainable growth. The right technology partner doesn’t simply provide software but enables a company’s vision.
For Taziki’s, Restaurant365 proved to be that partner. The platform’s comprehensive capabilities, commitment to continuous improvement, and genuine partnership approach supported the brand’s expansion from a promising regional concept to a 110-location operation spanning 17 states.
As Taziki’s continues to grow and bring its Mediterranean-inspired hospitality to new communities, Restaurant365 provides the operational backbone that makes that expansion possible. The technology handles the complexity, allowing the team to focus on connection, community, and the kind of hospitality that builds lasting relationships.
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