The SCV Hub Streamlines Guest Ordering
Guests at Santa Clarita Valley Kitchens, also known as The SCV Hub, can now order from multiple restaurants in a single transaction, whether they are dining in, picking up, or opting for delivery. Empower Delivery has been added to enhance the food hall’s ordering experience, featuring 18 commercial kitchens operated by independently managed restaurants.
For on-site diners, Empower Delivery kiosks allow ordering from one or multiple restaurants with a single payment. Guests ordering ahead for pickup or online for delivery through TheSCVHub.com can similarly combine orders from multiple brands in one seamless transaction. Empower Delivery’s kitchen technology coordinates cook times across various kitchens, ensuring that all items arrive fresh.
76% of guests ordering food off-premises dining say ease of ordering is moderately or very important, according to HT's 2024 Customer Enagement Technology Study
Some individual restaurants may also use additional delivery platforms like DoorDash or Grubhub to promote their own offerings independently.
When The SCV Hub opened in Southern California in October 2023, it initially used a different system that fell short of expectations, according to Chris Collins, The SCV Hub’s founder. After reading about the success of OOMI, a single-location delivery kitchen in Dallas that utilizes Empower Delivery’s machine learning capabilities, Collins chose to transition to Empower Delivery.
Empower Delivery has been great to work with, delivering their basic platform without major issues and quickly responding to The Hub’s customization requests, Collins said. Their responsiveness "has been the biggest benefit of working with them.”
Tenants and guests alike have experienced faster, more reliable service. Collins emphasized that Empower’s software “works seamlessly within our food hall concept, enhancing both guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.”
Navigating Industry Challenges
Amid rising operational costs, labor shortages, and minimum wage increases, 2024 has proven challenging for many California restaurants. “In our area, we’ve seen established restaurants close," Collins said. "Our concept is a great way for someone that wants to get into the restaurant business without the startup costs of building a brick and mortar.” However, Collins acknowledged that the industry isn’t for everyone, noting that some startups have struggled and closed, with The SCV Hub continually learning and adjusting its tenant mix.
Collins aims to add established brands to the mix of restaurants, and lease out available space to caterers and pop-up restaurants.
"Guests love the variety they find in food halls. Discovering new brands is one of the main features guests love about the experience. But historically, the downside of the variety and discovery has been an inefficient ordering process involving several transactions,” said Meredith Sandland, CEO of Empower Delivery and an honoree in HT’s 2023 Top Women in Restaurant Technology.
Empower’s software, designed to simplify the multi-brand ordering process, allows guests to order across brands with just one transaction, while enhancing the off-premise delivery experience.
With first-party ordering capabilities, real-time updates, and loyalty features, Empower Delivery’s system ensures a seamless experience for both on-premise and delivery orders. Smart kitchen tech, including real-time cook times and streamlined expo station management, creates a quiet, efficient kitchen environment that operates smoothly across SCV Hub’s diverse restaurant lineup.