O’Charley’s
Overview
Giving back is a central pillar of O’Charley’s. In fact, the casual dining brand hosts an annual “Give $5 Get $5” fundraiser in its restaurants to support The Folded Flag Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the families of fallen service members. So when digital sales began to climb through the use of Olo’s Ordering platform, O’Charley’s saw an opportunity to increase its impact. The brand teamed up with Olo to enable off-premise guests to donate—and immediately get rewarded for their generosity—when placing an order online. As a result, the brand has raised over $152K for Gold Star families via Olo since late 2019.
in donations received via Olo Ordering
of donations have come from online orders
of all O’Charley’s sales are digital
BACKGROUND
Digital ordering is nothing new to O’Charley’s. The Nashville-born restaurant brand has allowed guests to order its Southern-inspired dishes online via Olo since 2017. But in 2020, O’Charley’s made an important realization. Off-premise guests were inadvertently excluded from philanthropy happening inside the restaurant.
To engage off-premise guests and increase the impact of O’Charley’s annual “Give $5 Get $5” fundraiser for The Folded Flag Foundation, Olo made it simple for guests to contribute while ordering online. When guests place the $5 donation in their basket, they automatically receive $5 off their transaction in real time.
In addition, Olo supported the launch of O’Charley’s limited-time virtual brand, Songwriters Café. The menu featured some of O’Charley’s signature items, and 100% of the proceeds went to The Folded Flag Foundation.
Results with Olo
Increased Donations
Since the inception of its Folded Flag Foundation campaign, O’Charley’s has raised nearly $2.9M, including $152K in incremental donations via Olo’s flexible ordering platform. The brand hopes to have similar results in 2023.
Consistent Guest Experience
Whether O’Charley’s guests are dining in the restaurant or at home, they now have the same opportunity to support its philanthropy—and get instantly rewarded for their generosity.
Stronger Brand Identity
By giving off-premise guests the ability to participate in the “Give $5 Get $5” fundraiser online, O’Charley’s can share its brand identity and values outside its four walls. This deepens O’Charley’s relationship with off-premise guests, builds community, and sets the brand apart.
There has always been a focus on community involvement inside restaurants, but sometimes the digital guests are not easily engaged in those efforts. We are committed to bringing our digital guests along on the journey without interfering with the ordering process. Olo has enabled O’Charley’s to do that by creating a seamless process for activating online fundraising whenever we want. We believe this is the tip of the iceberg for how restaurants can leverage technology to drive awareness and support for great charitable causes.
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