The Quest for the Restaurant Industry’s Holy Grail—Unified Commerce

There was a time, not too long ago, when interacting with a brand—be it a retailer or a restaurant chain—was a fairly uncomplicated process. There was a single point of sale or channel. If you wanted what the brand was selling, you went to a brick-and-mortar location and bought it. 

As technology has evolved, however, the number of potential channels has increased, giving rise to first multichannel and then omnichannel marketing. These are familiar terms to many, although not everyone is completely clear on the distinctions between them. Shopify—a company that knows a thing or two about these matters—has this to say: “The main difference between omnichannel and multichannel is that omnichannel involves all channels and revolves around your customer, while multichannel involves many channels and revolves around your product.”

A broad definition of the omnichannel customer might be anyone who comes into contact with your brand at any touchpoint, be it in-store, on your…