While the other food ordering apps take care of the big chains, we’re here to take care of the independents. We champion the small business with the big heart – not only through smart, intuitive tech solutions, but also through the support we offer.
Whether you’re a pub, a takeaway, a café or a restaurant, our hands-on support means we’ll take care of the set-up process for you. That includes adding your menus, opening times, table numbers, users and anything else to get you set up. That leaves you to focus on the day-to-day running of your business. And when you’re ready, we’ll walk you through how it works. That’s an industry first.
The Dine Local story started from a place of good will. Founders Jay and Louis wanted to help a family friend and local restaurant owner who was struggling with taking customer orders over the phone and cooking at the same time.
(If you’re a venue owner reading this, you’ll know that struggle is real!)
Conveniently, Jay and Louis just happened to own an app development company, so rather than volunteering themselves to get in the kitchen, they created an ordering app for their friend. They were keen to help other businesses in their local area too. The pandemic had hit and hospitality venues were in a steep learning curve trying to adapt to the changing restrictions. So Jay and Louis also rolled out the app to a handful of local venues they knew. And so, in 2020, the first version of Dine Local was launched.
Once the population was allowed outside their four walls again, Jay and Louis noticed how frustrating it was to require several apps on their phones to order and pay from various venues. Why couldn’t they just use a single app where they could order and pay for their morning coffee, their Wednesday night takeaway or their Sunday roast all in one place? Oh, wait a minute. Lightbulb moment… the second version of Dine Local was born.
This is where Shane comes into the story. Having worked in hospitality for two decades, he was looking to offer a tech solution that specifically helped independent venues, but he had no coding experience. The planets aligned, Shane came across Dine Local and, following a whole lot of conversations, the dynamic duo became the terrific trio with the new focus of championing the independents. And so this next version of Dine Local was born.
Jay Is our CEO with a love for tech and a love of food. Jay has been working diligently with the team for the last 18 months to build the platform into its current form.
“I used to travel a lot for work and using mobile ordering to find places to eat, I noticed a lack of representation for independent restaurants. I really felt I was missing out on some amazing venues (I was) and it wasn’t until I spoke with a local work colleague that I realised how many more great independent venues were yet to be discovered.”
Louis is our diligent CTO. With over 12 years of development experience, he’s brought the Dine Local vision to life.
“There are two things I love: food and tech. So we decided to combine them in a way that supports an industry that needs it now more than ever.”
Shane is our COO and brings a unique passion for hospitality and almost 20 years of experience to the team.
“I have owned and worked in various hospitality businesses over the years and it became increasingly frustrating that tech solutions on the market focused solely on multi-site and chain operations. I wanted to create an offering that helps independent operators and owners maximise the returns of their hard work and long hours, as well as a place that makes discovering truly independent venues
a joy.”
