Opened in 2017 by Ryan Rios, BKK thai kitchen + bar in Corpus Christi, Texas is a stylish choice for classic Thai dishes. The name BKK comes from the airport code for Bangkok, inspired by Mr. Rios’ travels to Thailand and other countries in the area.

The Objective

BKK needed a restaurant technology solution that allowed them to work more efficiently in the front of the house and back. Their customer base grew fast, but their technology was working against them. Mr. Rios shared with us that the best word to describe his restaurant operations was "chaotic." He was using a point of sale (POS) system that wasn't explicitly designed for the restaurant industry and knew after two years that he needed to make a switch.

Mr. Rios continued growing the business and opened up his second restaurant concept called ‘YOLA cocina mexicana’ in 2020. He needed a system that was easy for his staff to learn and use across all restaurant locations.

The Challenge

Mr. Rios initially opened up his restaurant with a different POS, Revel Systems, and soon realized that it was made for a wide range of small businesses and not individually for the restaurant industry. He wanted an easy-to-navigate system when looking at finances, inventory, and quickly changing menu items.

His original POS system was becoming a hassle and interfering with his operations.

"My kitchen display system never really worked. It was a hassle to manage gift cards, and building the menu and changing items was so stressful. When I needed support, and it seemed to be often, the issues were always escalated to higher-tiered support people, and I was left waiting, all the while trying to manage and grow a restaurant."

The systems he had in place weren't working seamlessly together. A general POS system lacks the technology to help with table management, customizing orders, and managing multiple payments such as splitting checks. These are vital features that restaurants need to provide a better customer experience.

Mr. Rios was also experiencing a lot of frustration when dealing with customer support from his first POS company. He shares that representatives were tiered in Levels 1, 2, and 3, so he always had to wait for help as they escalated issues.

The Solution

When Mr. Rios decided to open his second restaurant concept, YOLA, he knew there was no way he could make the mistake of choosing the wrong POS system again. That's when his Sysco Sales Consultant introduced him to Mad Mobile's All-In-One POS and put him in contact with another local customer using the system. They invited Mr. Rios to see the system in action.

After learning that they could set up the system themselves, all the features that integrate with the POS, and how easy training was, he knew that he also had to make the switch. In June 2019, BKK decided to implement All-In-One Point of Sale, Integrated Online Ordering, Guest Management System, and OrderPads.

This suite of solutions has allowed his restaurant to stay organized, staff to work more efficiently, and keep operations running smoothly at all times.

"I needed something made just for restaurants, and [Mad Mobile] was the solution. I have my website linked to my [Mad Mobile] online menu, I can order gift cards through the preferred [Mad Mobile] vendor that works at all of my restaurant locations, my hosts can manage reservations and walk-in guests with the Guest Management System, and all of these work seamlessly together so we don't skip a beat. It makes dining with us easy for my guests and I know has contributed to our success."

Mr. Rios was able to quickly and easily set up his Mad Mobile All-In-One POS systems himself. From the printers to the POS and the hardware required for the OrderPads, he feels as if it was specifically made for his restaurant.

Both BKK & YOLA have Mad Mobile Online Ordering. It creates a seamless ordering experience for them because online orders integrate directly with their All-In-One POS. They also have their online ordering link on their website and social media platforms, so their guests have multiple ways to order and drive their online sales.

His restaurants use the guest management system to manage waitlists and get real-time views of table status to keep all FOH on the same page. When servers place orders on the POS, the table management system updates the customer's status from "seated" to "ordered." Both systems work together to keep the restaurant's table management in check and FOH organized.

The Results

Fantastic Customer Support

One aspect that has exceeded Mr. Rio's expectations since working with Mad Mobile is customer support. He appreciates that he doesn't have to spend a lot of time talking on the phone during a busy shift because he can get his questions answered quickly.

"Whether I've called for someone to remind me how to set up an OrderPad, or to get help in switching my deposit bank account or order another POS terminal, the help is quick and accurate," states Mr. Rios.

Mr. Rios also shares a challenging time where Mad Mobile Support helped him best. In November 2019, BKK thai kitchen + bar suffered from a fire. Mad Mobile's team helped him program his entire menu into a new system in just two days at a temporary location so that he could keep staff employed. When they moved back to their original site in September 2020, Mad Mobile transferred all their data and menu back overnight. BKK had a fully functioning restaurant as soon as they reopened.

Real-time Data & Restaurant Control

An issue Mr. Rios had before Mad Mobile was building and changing out menu items in his POS system. Now, he can easily watch labor, view financial reports, adjust the menu, and monitor his business from anywhere.

He shared, "As we deal with supply chain issues in the restaurant business because of the pandemic, I am able to quickly log on to the menu admin portal and adjust items, swap certain beers and wine and update the menu for my servers and customers that order online."

Easy & Fast Training

Mr. Rios uses the All-In-One POS at both of his restaurants, and he shares with us that his FOH team was able to learn the system quickly. He said, "It's been great having the same system at both restaurants as some team members bounce back and forth between the two."

Most recently, he's decided to open a second BKK location, and in anticipation of opening up in the fall of 2021, "choosing [Mad Mobile] is a no brainer."

Every day, he is reminded that Mad Mobile was designed for restaurants because of the ease with which his teams use the system. It allows them to be self-sufficient in taking care of their guests.

Additional Value Provided

In the past, Mr. Rios was using a POS system that wasn't supporting the growth his restaurant was experiencing. He shares, "The biggest thing I've been able to achieve since using [Mad Mobile] is growth. That's the dream for any restaurateur."

"Now when I go into other local restaurants around town, I get excited when I see them using the [All-In-One POS] because I know first hand how it can help their business. This past year has been a difficult one for restaurants, but with Online Ordering, OrderPads, Guest Management System, and the online portal for managing the POS system on the backend, I believe you have all of the tools to properly run a restaurant." Mad Mobile makes it easy to streamline your operations and grow your business; BKK is a prime example.