Restaurant Engine
Restaurant Engine (Blue Contrails LLC) is a Connecticut-based SaaS platform that provides done-for-you WordPress-powered website design, hosting, online ordering, and SEO tools for independent restaurants, cafes, bars, and food trucks, monetized via monthly subscriptions and one-time setup fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNorwalk, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
Restaurant Engine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Restaurant Engine
- Legal name
- Blue Contrails LLC
- Website
- https://restaurantengine.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Restaurant Engine (Blue Contrails LLC) is a Connecticut-based SaaS platform that provides done-for-you WordPress-powered website design, hosting, online ordering, and SEO tools for independent restaurants, cafes, bars, and food trucks, monetized via monthly subscriptions and one-time setup fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Restaurant Engine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurant Website Design Software
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Restaurant Reservations & Dining Booking Platforms (BPAMAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Booking Engines & Direct Web Booking (THALACAD), Restaurant/Table Reservation & Booking Engines (THALADAH)
Keywords
Where Restaurant Engine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norwalk
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Restaurant Engine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Monthly Hosting & Support Subscription: Recurring monthly subscription fee that includes web hosting, customer support, access to all built-in features, and the ability to make edits to the website. The service also includes routine updates made by the support team at no extra charge.
- Website Setup Service: One-time initial cost for setting up a new website including customization of design, inputting menus and content, adding logo, customizing colors, adding photos, and connecting social media accounts.
- Online Ordering Premium: Optional premium add-on for online ordering with POS integration capabilities, charged at a higher rate than the standard plan. Standard online ordering is available as a lower-tier option without POS integration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Basic Website Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Online Ordering Standard |
| Subscription | Monthly | Online Ordering Premium with POS Integration |
| Subscription | Monthly | Reseller Plan |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Restaurant Engine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Restaurant Engine provides a done-for-you, WordPress-based restaurant website design and hosting SaaS. The core deliverable is a professionally designed, mobile-optimized restaurant website that includes the CMS, hosting, support, SEO tools, social media integrations, and optional online ordering (powered by OpenDining) for pickup and delivery. The Restaurant Engine team handles full setup, including menu input, branding, photos, and social media connections, with most sites launched within 3-5 business days.
Product overview
Restaurant Engine is a hosted SaaS platform providing done-for-you restaurant website design services. The core product is the Restaurant Website Design Solution, an all-inclusive website package that combines beautiful custom website design, mobile optimization, WordPress-powered CMS, and integrated SEO and social media tools. The platform offers pre-designed restaurant website templates (Zest, Simmer, Slate, Primo, FreshDelight, Crema, Core) that customers can access and switch between. Add-on modules include Online Ordering (powered by OpenDining integration), Mobile Website Optimization, SEO & Social Media Tools, WordPress Themes & CMS, Reservations Integration with OpenTable, and a professional Full Setup Service. The company also offers a Reseller Program for partners wanting to white-label the service. Pricing consists of an initial setup cost plus monthly hosting and support fees, with 20% discount for multiple websites.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Restaurant Website Design Solution A done-for-you, hosted SaaS restaurant website design service including custom website design, professional support, hosting, SEO tools, social media integration, and WordPress CMS, typically launched within 3-5 business days. Targeted at independent restaurants, cafes, bars, and food trucks that lack technical resources.
- Online Ordering An add-on subscription that enables restaurants to accept pickup and delivery orders through their Restaurant Engine website. Includes credit card processing, coupons, tips, advance ordering, delivery zone management, variable delivery fees, reporting, and a Premium tier with POS system integration. Orders are received via email, phone, fax, SMS, or printed to a receipt printer. Targeted at restaurants wanting direct online ordering without third-party marketplace commissions.
- Full Setup Service A one-time professional setup service in which the Restaurant Engine team customizes the website design, inputs menus and content, adds the logo, customizes colors, uploads photos, and connects social media accounts so the site is launch-ready. Targeted at non-technical restaurant owners who need a turnkey launch.
- Reseller Program A channel partner program that lets web design agencies and freelancers resell Restaurant Engine to restaurant clients with a 20% lifetime discount on two or more websites, optional white-label mode, and flexible client billing. Targeted at digital agencies, freelancers, and consultants serving the restaurant industry.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60+ additional reservations per month for some clients
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Restaurant Engine
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Restaurant Engine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature4 records
Restaurant Engine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- OpenDiningcoreRestaurant Engine has partnered with OpenDining (opendining.net) to provide integrated online ordering capabilities for restaurant websites. The partnership includes seamless integration with restaurant website designs, order receipt via multiple channels (email, phone, fax, SMS, printer), credit card processing, coupon support, advance ordering, and delivery zone management. OpenDining accounts are set up and integrated by Restaurant Engine at no extra charge when customers select an online ordering plan.
- WordPresscoreRestaurant Engine is powered by WordPress, the web's most popular website management tool. This provides restaurant owners with an easy-to-use interface for editing pages, adding photos, and managing content. The WordPress foundation enables a familiar CMS experience and ecosystem of plugins.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Restaurant Engine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GoDaddy Websites + Marketing: GoDaddy offers affordable website builder and marketing tools used by SMB restaurants as a low-cost alternative to Restaurant Engine's bundled offering.
- Squarespace: Squarespace is a horizontal website builder widely used by restaurants for design-forward sites, overlapping with Restaurant Engine's design-and-hosting value proposition though without a dedicated restaurant vertical.
- Wix Restaurants: Wix is a horizontal website builder with a dedicated Restaurants vertical offering templates, ordering, reservations and SEO — competing for the same SMB restaurant customers but as part of a much broader platform.
Others
- OpenTable: Restaurant Engine integrates with OpenTable for reservations; OpenTable is an adjacent player in the restaurant technology stack — though it's a partner here, it could also become a competitor if it expands into website offerings.
Direct peers
- ChowNow: ChowNow builds commission-free online ordering websites and apps for independent restaurants, directly overlapping with Restaurant Engine's online ordering integration feature.
- Popmenu: Popmenu provides restaurant websites with built-in online ordering, digital menus and marketing automation — a direct vertical competitor to Restaurant Engine in the SMB restaurant website + ordering space.
- BentoBox: BentoBox provides restaurant websites with built-in ordering, reservations, marketing and guest engagement tools on a SaaS subscription — directly competing with Restaurant Engine's website-plus-ordering bundle for independent restaurants.
- Owner.com: Owner.com offers restaurant websites with integrated online ordering, marketing tools and AI-driven features targeting independent restaurants, overlapping closely with Restaurant Engine's value proposition.
- Menufy: Menufy offers restaurant websites with online ordering integration, competing with Restaurant Engine for independent restaurants seeking direct-ordering website solutions.
Emerging players
- Flavorplate: Flavorplate is an emerging player offering restaurant website design and online ordering services aimed at independent restaurants, partially overlapping with Restaurant Engine's customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Restaurant Engine social profiles
Digital presenceRestaurant Engine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Restaurant Engine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Restaurant Engine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Restaurant Engine M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Restaurant Engine
What does Restaurant Engine do?
Restaurant Engine provides a done-for-you, WordPress-based restaurant website design and hosting SaaS. The core deliverable is a professionally designed, mobile-optimized restaurant website that includes the CMS, hosting, support, SEO tools, social media integrations, and optional online ordering (powered by OpenDining) for pickup and delivery. The Restaurant Engine team handles full setup, including menu input, branding, photos, and social media connections, with most sites launched within 3-5 business days.
Is Restaurant Engine a public or private company?
Restaurant Engine is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Restaurant Engine founded?
Restaurant Engine was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Restaurant Engine based?
Restaurant Engine is headquartered in Norwalk, United States, in the North America region.
How does Restaurant Engine make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Monthly Hosting & Support Subscription is the primary driver. The others are website Setup Service and online Ordering Premium.
Who are Restaurant Engine's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are GoDaddy Websites + Marketing, Squarespace and Wix Restaurants. OpenTable is listed as an others. Direct peers are ChowNow, Popmenu, BentoBox, Owner.com and Menufy. Flavorplate is listed as an emerging player.
Does Restaurant Engine have an API?
No public API is recorded for Restaurant Engine.
What industry is Restaurant Engine in?
Restaurant Engine's product category is Restaurant Website Design Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAIAK, Restaurant Reservations & Dining Booking Platforms, with a secondary code of THALACAD, Booking Engines & Direct Web Booking. Its NAICS code is 51821 and its SIC code is 7370.