Inspire Brands, the owner of Dunkin’, Arby’s and other restaurant chains, has acquired a software company that it said will help it make delivery more profitable.
Inspire is the new owner of Vromo, a company that offers a delivery management system for restaurants, a spokesperson for Inspire confirmed Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Vromo helps restaurants manage their in-house delivery fleets as well as connect with third-party drivers. Features include automated dispatching, real-time order tracking and an overflow system that sends excess orders to third-party drivers.
Vromo said it helps restaurants capture more orders, reduce delivery times and provide a better customer experience. It also offers discounted third-party delivery rates.
Inspire did not say how it planned to use the technology. Only one of its six brands—the 2,600-unit Jimmy John’s—staffs its own delivery drivers. The others—Dunkin’, Arby’s, Sonic Drive-In, Buffalo Wild Wings and Baskin-Robbins—rely on third-party providers to handle delivery orders.
The company has shown a willingness to invest in technology, using its scale to lower the costs. It has also worked to grow its delivery and digital businesses. For instance, it operates a multibrand ghost kitchen in Atlanta called Alliance Kitchen, where customers can order from five of its brands for delivery and pickup.
The Vromo acquisition continues a trend of restaurant companies bringing more of their technology in-house, either by buying the tech outright or building it themselves. Both McDonald’s and Yum Brands have acquired tech companies in recent years, and Wingstop said late last year that it’s developing a homegrown tech system called My Wingstop.
The deal was first reported by Nation’s Restaurant News.
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