How an 8-Location Restaurant Group Found an Innovation Partner — and Achieved a 10-Year Goal in Just One Year

By Partnering with Katalyst, This Restaurant Group Transformed Its Operations, Eliminated Downtime, and Gained a Technology Partner That Never Stops Innovating

Key Results

• 10-Year Goal, Achieved in 1 Year: Rolled out KDS to all locations after seven years of failed attempts with their legacy POS.
  
  
• Zero-Downtime Updates: Menu updates that once caused mid-shift shutdowns now happen instantly.
  
  
• 100% Uptime: Internet outages no longer impact operations thanks to Katalyst’s automatic architecture.
  
  
• More Online Orders, less phone calls: With a POS system that could take gift card payments, the phones ring a little less allowing hosts to focus on in-person guest interaction.

The Overview

When this 8-location restaurant group switched to Katalyst, they weren’t just replacing a POS—they were gaining a partner that builds, innovates, and evolves with them.

After years of being held back by legacy technology, they finally achieved in one year what they couldn’t in a decade: group-wide KDS rollout, reliable handheld payments, and instant updates with zero downtime.

“Katalyst is willing to consistently push forward. Technology never stops—and neither do they.”

— Lisa Allen, Chief Administrative Officer

About the Company

Based in New Hampshire, this leadership-driven restaurant group operates eight restaurants, a central commissary with its own butcher and baker, and a management company that oversees 17 total entities including real estate.

The group’s executive team—owners in every restaurant—brings over 250 years of combined experience. Their philosophy is simple: never stop improving.

The Challenge: Innovation Stalled by Legacy Technology

The restaurant group had relied on its legacy POS for decades. It managed loyalty, gift cards, and even influenced their accounting setup. But over time, what was once a backbone became a barrier.

Their biggest frustrations included:

• Outdated, Rigid Technology: “It was a system from the 1990’s, just patching and patching.”
  
  
• No Innovation: The vendor wasn’t building forward, only maintaining.
  
  
• Critical Failures:
  
  
  • A seven-year failed KDS rollout
    
    
  • Handhelds that couldn’t take payments or stay connected.
    
    
  • Simple programming changes requiring full FOH system shutdowns
    
    
  • Internet outages that stopped operations cold
    
    
• No Partnership: “They just wanted you to write the checks. We didn’t want to run our restaurants their way—we wanted a system that served our way of operating.”
  
  

The group wanted more than software. They needed a partner that shared their pace of innovation and understood operations from the inside out.

The Solution: A True Innovation Partner

When the team discovered Katalyst, they found what they’d been missing—a technology partner built by restaurant operators who value progress over complacency.

Why They Chose Katalyst:

• Innovative by Nature: “Your team is willing to consistently push forward,” said Lisa Allen. “I’ve pushed hard a few times—and instead of resisting, Katalyst listens, builds, and keeps creating. That’s what innovation looks like.”
  
  
• Operator-Built, Operator-Led: Katalyst bridges the gap between engineering and real-world restaurant operations.
  
  
• Modern, Clean Platform: Built fresh—not patched together—with an intuitive iPad interface that staff quickly embraced.
  
  
• Custom Loyalty Integration: Katalyst was the only provider willing to rebuild their 25-year-old, 70,000-member loyalty program into the new system instead of forcing a canned product.
  
  
• Hands-On Partnership: Katalyst happily participated in and led training events, cycling 50+ staff through sessions every few hours over several days until more than 500 employees were able to see the system up close. They then stayed on-site through each go-live.
  
  

“We can’t be with a POS that’s lagging behind and refuses to improve. Katalyst listens, adapts, and innovates for operators—rather than forcing operators to conform to them.”

— Lisa Allen, Chief Administrative Officer

The Transformation: Innovation That Drives Performance

The shift to Katalyst delivered not just operational improvements—but a cultural one. The group moved from frustration to forward momentum.

• KDS Everywhere: After seven years of failed attempts with their previous POS provider, KDS was live across all locations within 12 months—reducing chaos, improving communication, and boosting morale in their kitchens.
  
  
• Instant Updates: Menu changes now appear in seconds. “On go live day, a server told us a modifier was missing, and we’d fix it right then. Everyone was blown away when our fixes showed immediately on their screens.”
  
  
• Reliable Handhelds: After a failed attempt with their previous provider, tableside payments became a reality allowing for fast, secure, and consistent check out.
  
  
• New Revenue Channels: Gift card payments for online ordering unlocked immediate new revenue.
  
  
• Data-Driven Accountability: Managers can now access real-time insights, improving team accountability and profitability.
  
  

The Impact: A Partnership That Keeps Moving Forward

The restaurant group didn’t just modernize—they gained a technology partner that’s as hungry to innovate as they are to grow.

“Some POS companies think they’ve already built the best system and stop listening. Katalyst isn’t like that. They’re always creating, always improving—and that’s why we’re moving forward with them.”

— Lisa Allen, Chief Administrative Officer

With Katalyst, the group has eliminated downtime, elevated performance, and achieved milestones that once felt like weights—all while continuing to innovate together.

Katalyst: Innovation by Operators, for Operators

Katalyst is more than a POS—it’s an innovation partner built by operators who know that great technology never stops evolving.

We build with you, not for you. Because your restaurant deserves a partner that’s as forward-thinking as you are.