App Modernization for Popular Restaurant Chain

Technology Stack

WordPress
jQuery
HTMl5
CSS3
MySQL

The Client

This US-based restaurant chain started with just a single pizzeria around 50 years ago. Today, the chain has 200+ restaurants all over the United States, specializing in pizzas, burgers, salads, cocktails, and draft beer. Its official website contains all essential features like restaurant browsing options, online food ordering options, catering options, gift card balance checker, job application module, etc. Customers can use this website to order food online. Or they can search for the nearest outlet if they want to ‘dine out.’ Job seekers can use this website to apply for positions of cashier, waiter, cook, or manager in any of the restaurants under this chain.

The Challenge

The website was already live but required severe enhancements. It had junk codes. The messy codebase slowed the website to the extent that it took over 12 seconds to load - this frustrated users.

Moreover, there were vast sets of unnecessary conditional loops in the backend. Extra loops made the website bulkier. On top of that, sections like the contact buttons and customer reviews were hard-coded and not dynamic.

In addition, hundreds of user queries poured in daily. There were over six lacs search queries, which the website couldn’t process. As a result, the website slowed down.

Apart from these issues, there were problems with data syncs as well. The client needed to fetch the latest restaurant data from a third party site to the live site. But, whenever he was required to add new data, he needed to run commands manually. This was becoming tiresome. There had to be a process to pull data from external sources automatically.

Another requirement was to sync data between Location Landing Pages (LLPs) and Contactless Pages (CLPs). Every restaurant under this chain had these two pages. We had to run custom functions to ensure every modification made on LLP reflects on its respective CLP immediately.

The client engaged Capital Numbers to take care of all these and optimize the website for enhanced performance.

The Solution

We began by creating technical documentation that all of us could adhere to. Based on the document, we proceeded with the following:

Firstly, we worked on the LLPs and CLPs. Each LLP included its restaurant’s descriptions, phone numbers, Google maps, happy hours, jobs, etc. Each CLP included its restaurant’s banner images, food menus, and bar menus. We used custom WordPress functions to ensure every change made on an LLP synced well with its CLP without error. We also corrected the redirects, alignments, photos, metadata, and dynamic content on these pages.

Secondly, we worked on the Yext API integration. Yext is a third-party site with 100+ API integrations, which include maps, directories, and business listings. So, we integrated Yext into our client’s website to fetch restaurant data from Yext’s data bank.

Thirdly, we ran CRON scripts to automate the data fetching process. We wrote code to automatically pull data from Yext twice daily without needing someone to do it manually.

Fourthly, we created a separate install for maintaining the user queries. We connected this new install with the main website using REST APIs. So, what would happen is hundreds of queries would get transferred to this fresh install via REST, balancing out the load from the main website.

Fifthly, we worked on the catering services module. We built this module from scratch to help the client manage all catering requests and filter them by store location, event date, etc. If the client wants, he can export these details in the CSV file and send them to the event organizing teams of respective restaurants.

We also created a job application module, similar to the catering module. The client can manage all CVs using this module. He can even segment and export the best ones in the CSV file to send to restaurants' hiring managers.

Apart from working on these modules, we changed many hard-coded CTA buttons like ‘Order Online,’ ‘Call In,’ ‘Get Directions,’ and ‘Jobs’ to make them dynamic. We used HTML and CSS codes for other UI elements that required urgent fixes.

We optimized the in-site search using jQuery AJAX and incorporated Mapbox API to draw location maps of various stores. We saved and stored every data in the MySQL DB known for its exceptional scalability.

After testing every feature and install, we hosted the product on WordPress Engine, which offers unparalleled speed. Our primary modes of communication for all these customizations were through Teamwork, MS Teams, and Outlook. Throughout the engagement, we ensured we responded to all feedback loops promptly for the best outcomes.

Results

The final results have benefited the client’s team significantly. Credit goes to our senior engineers for documenting every requirement and abiding by it methodically to achieve the following:

Permanent Fixes

We replaced band-aid solutions with permanent fixes like data syncs, automation, load balancing, module development, error-free code, and dynamic content.

LLP and CLP Optimizations

We optimized LLPs and CLPs with relevant SEO strategies and CTAs to win over visitors.

Yext API Integration

Our seamless Yext integration pulls restaurant data (e.g., happy hours, closing hours, etc.) from third-party links and displays them on the client’s website in real-time.

CRON Scheduling

CRON scheduler further automates this data extraction task and simplifies things for the client.

New Server - Location Search Log

We could reduce downtime of the central server by routing all user queries to the newly-installed server.

New Install - Job Application

Our custom-made job application module allows the client to gather and sort resumes using in-built filters.

New Install - Quiz

Our newly-built quiz module helps the client create quizzes for improved user engagement.

New Install - Catering

Our well-built catering module helps the client manage a vast list of catering requests and segment them based on their venues, dates, and times.

Custom Alerts

We also added custom alerts to notify caterers and requesters 48 hours and 24 hours before the event date.

QR Code

We integrated uQR.me to help all customers scan QR codes and access the digital version of the restaurant menus from their mobile phones.

Gift Card Balance Checker

Our experts also added a custom algorithm for e-gift cardholders to check the status and balance on their cards from the website.

Performance Upgrades

All these features have completely transformed and upgraded an outdated website.

Code Cleanup

Our fresh build has new modules and a clean code. There are no unwanted loops. As a result, the pages take less than 5 seconds to load.

Out-of-the-box Solutions

Our ability to propose out-of-the-box solutions for data syncs and automation was something our client loved.

Long-term Engagement

Impressed with our skills, the client left us positive feedback on Clutch and wants to continue working with us for further customizations in this product in the coming months.