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Chope adds queue monitoring to its restaurant reservation service with acquisition
Restaurant reservation app Chope is fast becoming the one-stop platform for all your dining needs. Today, the Singapore startup announced its acquisition of Appic Technologies and its popular Ticktok queuing service. The deal was made entirely in shares. Chope raised US$2.5 million in funding led by Singapore Press Holdings early last year.
Restaurants using Chope can now monitor both queues and reservations on a single iPad app.
With this new feature, all customers need to do is enter their details in a tablet placed outside the restaurant, and they can then check how many people are ahead of them on their smartphones. They will also receive a notification when their turn arrives in the form of an SMS or automated phone call. For those who need to run around a lot, or forgot to make a reservation in advance, this feature could be a godsend.
Arrif Ziaudeen, CEO and co-founder of Chope, says that both teams shared a common passion to make the dining experience as simple and relaxing as possible. “We found in Appic a team who hate queuing as much as us,” he explains. “We help get around that by making reservations easy and 24/7, but now we’re going even further – even if you have to queue, you should be free to wander and relax.”
Restaurants will also benefit greatly from the integration. “Merchants [will now be] able to easily manage both queues and reservations as well as plug into Chope’s strong network of partners and diners,” says Zi Xin Chong, CTO and co-founder of Appic Technologies.
According to Ziaudeen, the next step for the combined entity will be to make the process of queuing even more seamless. “Imagine you’re standing in the middle of Orchard Rd – you’ll be able check how long the queue is at a few restaurants around you. Found one you like that has a short queue? No need to walk over, just join it with a click and continue shopping. When your table is coming in 10 min, we’ll give you a call to walk over,” he explains. “Imagine the pain we’ll save from your day.”
Ticktok currently serves more than 100,000 diners every month, which last Tech in Asia checked, puts them on par with Chope. In China, the latter has seen some traction in the past three months – over 150 merchants have signed up with them during this period, a rate of growth which Ziaudeen claims is several times faster than they had previously seen in Singapore and Hong Kong.
(Update: 24 November, 2pm): Added in comments from Ziaudeen.
See: Having sat over 10 million diners in Singapore and Hong Kong, Chope expands to mainland China
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