Tim Ryan, CEO and President of EVEVE, announced today that five leading Chicagoland restaurants, including the acclaimed De Cero Taqueria, switched their table management software supplier to EVEVE.“We experienced record growth throughout North America in 2012 and are thrilled to begin the New Year by announcing our arrival into one of the world’s great restaurants cities,” said Ryan. “Restaurants throughout North America are embracing our technology and its ability to deliver a more exceptional dining experience to their customers while improving their restaurant’s profitability.”
Ryan announced that five leading Chicago area restaurants are partnering with its cloud-based reservation system. These restaurants include Randolph Street’s De Cero Taqueria, Oak Park’s Maya Del Sol, Northbrook’s The Claim Company, Lake Zurich’s Beelow Steakhouse and Naperville’s Zapatista.
“Each of these critically acclaimed restaurants did extensive research to identify a reservation solution that allows them to serve their customer’s reservation needs more effectively and affordably than ever. We are honored that they have selected EVEVE as their partner to accomplish these goals,” said Ryan.
EVEVE’s new focus on Chicago is complemented with general expansion into a total of 17 states, with new clients in January from states as diverse as Vermont or Florida. Ryan adds, “The majority of our expansion outside the Midwest has been down to inbound leads. It seems there is a big appetite throughout the US for our solution. We can provide local installation and professional support to restaurants anywhere in America. Our 140 North American clients cover every region, and 17 states, and that number is growing steadily each month”.
EVEVE’s total online diners, the primary barometer of industry health, grew 120% in 2012, and the company currently handles around 3 million diners per year spread across its North American, European and Australasian markets.
“While we have more restaurants in Europe and Australasia, our North American restaurants are typically very large and extremely busy—the average number of online diners per month is 970—so the region punches above its weight. Eveve’s figure is well above North American industry averages,” says Ryan. “This reflects the type of client which chooses Eveve. Our USP is industry standard technology without the per cover fee. This attracts serious restaurants which find the per-cover model punitive. For busy independent restaurants, the Eveve value proposition is very compelling. That is why 70% of the Minnesotan restaurants in this category, now choose Eveve.”
The argument for the top independents in Chicago is just as compelling, if not even more so – given their even higher fees. “If anything, the Chicago market has been much easier to crack into than Minneapolis” explains Ryan. “Five big independents is the point where critical mass is acquired, the expansion acquires its own momentum thereafter. It took about 10 weeks to achieve five in Minneapolis, but less than half that time in Chicago.”
In these tough economic times, there is a real appetite from restaurants to keep costs under control. When restaurants find out they can shave 70% off their fees, for a comparable product and number of reservations, many feel this is one of the easiest ways to improve their bottom line. Ryan concludes, “There are probably 200-300 restaurants in Chicago which could save at least $1,000 a month with Eveve. How many will continue to absorb those super-fees, when an increasing number of their competitors shed that burden?”
Established in 2007, EVEVE is a leading global supplier of live reservation systems and has relationships with approximately 1,000 restaurants worldwide. For more information, please visit www.eveve.com.
