Engineering Manager

What a real multi-vendor integration looks like: Olo, Klaviyo, and ADA compliance for a restaurant group. September 21, 2026 Most of what I write here is framed around what to ask before you sign with an agency. This one is a little different - it's what that work actually looks like once it's underway, using a real project as the example. I recently completed ADA and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation for a multi-location restaurant brand's WordPress site, and followed that with a Martech project integrating Olo's online ordering system with Klaviyo for automated marketing. Doing the compliance work first, then layering integrations on top of it, is a good illustration of how these pieces have to fit together rather than get bolted on separately. The starting problem. The site needed ADA and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation first, before any new functionality was layered on - fixing the foundation before building on top of it. Once that work was in place, the next phase was integrating Olo's ordering system and connecting Klaviyo for email marketing. Olo doesn't have a native WordPress plugin - it's typically brought into a site through its embeddable widget or API, which behaves like a third-party component dropped into the page rather than a deeply integrated WordPress feature. On paper these look like separate projects done in sequence. In practice, doing accessibility first meant every new integration afterward had to be held to the same standard rather than introduce new gaps into a site that had just been fixed. An email integration that doesn't respect how order and customer data actually structures itself in Olo produces broken segments and bad personalization. Treating later phases as disconnected from the accessibility work that came before them is exactly how a project ends up needing to be redone. How the pieces actually connected. The ADA remediation came first and covered the whole site - the usual list of alt text, contrast, keyboard traps, form labels, and skip links - establishing a baseline the rest of the project had to hold to. The Klaviyo integration, done alongside the Olo work, meant making sure customer and order data flowing from the site and from Olo reached Klaviyo in a form that actually supported segmentation and personalization - not just a name and email address, but the data that makes an email program worth running. Why this is the right way to think about these projects. When an operations manager or marketing director is evaluating an agency for a project like this, the real question isn't whether the agency has worked with Olo, or Klaviyo, or accessibility remediation individually. It's whether they understand the right order to do the work in - fixing the foundation before building integrations on top of it - and whether they recognize that a third-party ordering widget doesn't automatically inherit the accessibility or performance standards of the site it's embedded in, and has to be tested on its own terms. What i'd tell a colleague evaluating a similar project. Ask an agency how they'd sequence a project like this - which work happens first, and why. If accessibility isn't treated as the foundation that later integrations get built on, that's worth a follow-up question, because on a real project, doing it in the wrong order usually means doing some of it twice. Andrea Straughn

Now Serving: loyalty programs guests actually want. August 26, 2026 August 25, 2026 Why loyalty became a growth priority for three established Olo brands What each brand looked for when evaluating a loyalty platform How they're planning to reward the guests who keep coming back Every restaurant has a handful of guests who show up like clockwork - the same order, the same booth, a first-name greeting from the staff. While loyalty already exists, the harder part is building a program that makes guests feel recognized instead of training them to wait for the next discount. Really, it's hospitality at scale: taking the recognition a regular gets in person and making it work across every digital touchpoint. In this edition of Now Serving, Olo caught up with three brands that have run on Olo for a while and recently added loyalty to the mix: Olga's Kitchen, MOTO Pizza, and Barberitos, part of the WOWorks family. Here's why Olo Loyalty made the priority list this year, what each brand wanted from a platform, and how it plans to reward the guests who keep coming back. Why has loyalty become a priority for you? "Guests today have more options than ever, so the brands that win are the ones that make guests feel recognized, not just transacted with. For Barberitos, loyalty isn't just a discount mechanism - it's how we build a real relationship with our regulars. Since joining WOWorks, we've been investing in a modernized tech stack, and loyalty was one of the first pieces we wanted to get right, because it directly ties to repeat visits and gives us first-party data we can actually use to understand our guests, not just guess at what they want." * Jason Levinson, VP Marketing Technology, WOWorks/Barberitos "Loyalty gives us the opportunity to build stronger relationships with our guests while increasing visit frequency and growing first-party traffic. Our goal is to create a program that feels genuinely valuable to the guest, not simply another discount platform." * Ryan P. Jones, Vice President and Brand Leader, Olga's Kitchen "Loyalty has always been a priority for Olo because Olo genuinely have the greatest guests and following of MOTO Heads. From waiting hours in line to preordering pizza months in advance, its guests have shown Olo an incredible amount of loyalty from the very beginning. Olo has always wanted to find a meaningful way to give some of that love back, and Olo finally have the opportunity to do it. Olo is currently building a custom app and preparing to launch its loyalty program in the coming months. At its core, it's really its way of saying thank you to the people who have supported MOTO and helped Olo grow." * Nora Hermann, Chief Operating Officer, MOTO Pizza What was important to you when you were evaluating loyalty platforms? How did Olo fulfill your wish list? "We wanted a program that was frictionless to join - no long sign-up forms, no app download required just to start earning - because every extra step is a guest we lose. We also wanted flexibility to evolve the program over time, like adjusting tiers or running bonus point promotions, without needing a full rebuild every time we wanted to try something new. And since we operate across nearly 50 franchise locations, seamless POS integration was non-negotiable. Olo checked those boxes: guests can enroll with just a phone number, our team can look someone up at the register in seconds, and we've been able to layer in features like tiered status on a platform that talks directly to our POS." * Jason Levinson, VP Marketing Technology, WOWorks "We wanted a platform that was easy to join and use, fully integrated with our ordering experience, and capable of turning guest data into more relevant communication. Olo gives us a more seamless, phone-number-driven experience while bringing ordering and loyalty together within one connected ecosystem." * Ryan P. Jones, Olga's Kitchen "For Olo, the experience was just as important as the functionality. MOTO is a pretty unique brand. Olo make ODD Pizza, and Olo didn't want an app or loyalty experience that felt like something its guests had seen a hundred times before. Olo wanted a custom user experience that felt unmistakably MOTO and like a true extension of its stores, its pizza, and its brand. At the same time, seamless integration with Olo was a must. Olo Loyalty gave Olo the loyalty capabilities and integration with the Olo ecosystem Olo needed, while Techtris gave Olo the ability to really customize the UI and bring the MOTO experience to life. That combination allowed Olo to get the functionality Olo needed without sacrificing the creativity and personality that are so important to its brand." * Nora Hermann, MOTO Pizza What's your favorite way to connect with or reward your loyalty guests? "Honestly, the birthday reward gets the best reactions - it's a small thing, but it makes people feel remembered. Olo also love that its tiered program (Entry, Gold, Platinum) gives guests something to work toward, so a reward doesn't feel like a one-and-done - it feels like status they're building over time. I have to say, I have also had the honor of speaking to some of its guests that have had account issues in the past (phone number or email address changes) and helping them work through that on a 1:1 basis and making them happy is super rewarding. It's not always about the tech, sometimes a personal phone call, which is a small effort for me, seems like a massive ovation to a guest." * Jason Levinson, WOWorks "I am most excited about recognizing what matters to each guest and delivering a reward that feels timely and personal. Whether it is encouraging that important second visit or celebrating our most loyal guests, the best offers create a reason to return without feeling generic or overly promotional." * Ryan P. Jones, Olga's Kitchen "We are SO excited about this part. We have some really fun things planned for how we'll surprise, delight, and reward our MOTO Heads through loyalty - but we're going to keep those under wraps for now. Our guests have given us a lot of love over the years, and we can't wait to finally have a new way to give some of that love back. Stay tuned." * Nora Hermann, MOTO Pizza The bottom line Three different brands share one idea when it comes to loyalty: a program only works if guests feel like more than a phone number in a database. Whether that means a birthday reward, a custom app built to feel unmistakably on-brand, or a personal phone call to fix an account issue, these brands are betting that recognition builds more repeat visits than a coupon ever could. If your brand is ready to turn regulars into your biggest fans, Olo'd love to show you how Olo can help. Request a demo. Curious why brands choose Olo? Check out the last edition of Now Serving.

Shipley Donuts launches online catering program powered by Olo. Aug 25 2026 Shipley Donuts, the nation's largest brand of fresh, handmade daily donuts and kolaches, has launched its new online catering program powered by Olo Catering, now available systemwide for large group orders. The new online donut catering platform makes it easier than ever for guests to place large orders for meetings, corporate events, team celebrations and group gatherings directly through the brand's website at shipleydonuts.com/catering. The Shipley Donuts catering menu features crowd-pleasing favorites built for sharing along with exclusive items, including: Pre-set Donut and Kolache Bundles: Shipley takes out the guesswork with curated combinations sure to please everyone Mini Kolaches: Savory, fresh-baked kolaches offer a satisfying, bite-sized morsel ideal for groups of any size and for any occasion Donut Hole Trays: Sweet, shareable trays perfect for large group orders and event catering Coffee to Go Box: Add-on coffee service for complete catering packages "Our new catering platform makes it easier than ever for guests to bring Shipley to the office, the classroom or any gathering, while creating additional growth opportunities for our franchisees," said Shipley Donuts Chief Marketing Officer Bill Leibengood. The Olo Catering integration marks a first-of-its-kind infrastructure milestone for Shipley, representing the brand's first dedicated large-order online ordering platform. Built on Shipley's growing digital ordering momentum, the launch signals a significant step forward in the brand's operational and growth strategy, giving both guests and franchise operators a seamless, scalable solution for high-volume orders. Pricing varies by local shop location. Orders are available for pickup or delivery, with pre-order available through the app or website.