Case Study

How Fresh Wok Found a Partner, Not a Platform

Fresh Wok’s Challenges

Chargebacks handled without notice

Big delivery apps approved refunds first and notified Fresh Wok after the fact, with no chance to review the claim or push back.

Payment and customer data handled carelessly

Another ordering platform sent full credit card numbers, names, and addresses in the clear — a fraud risk Fresh Wok wasn’t willing to carry.

Building sustainable loyalty

Rising delivery app fees on repeat orders were quietly eating into margins Fresh Wok had spent years building.

Impact From Beyond Menu

0 surprise chargebacks

Now every dispute is reviewed by Fresh Wok before a refund is issued, not after.

800–1,000 orders a month (at peak)

Consistent, high-volume ordering, without handing more margin to delivery apps and without any data/privacy concerns.

5% annual growth made easy

Beyond Menu helped Fresh Wok climb rankings, win reviews, earning the front page on Fresh Wok’s physical menu where regulars see it first.

Rebuilding, Adapting, and Growing

Fresh Wok is a long-standing, locally loved Chinese restaurant serving the Richmond, VA community. Known for consistent food and a loyal base of regulars, the restaurant operates in a competitive region where delivery apps, rising costs, and changing diner habits have reshaped how local restaurants survive.

In 2019, Fresh Wok faced a major setback when a fire forced the restaurant to shut down temporarily. Just as the team worked to recover, COVID hit — bringing uncertainty, staffing challenges, and sharp shifts in how customers ordered food across the Richmond area.

Operating Manager Tom Hughes oversees day-to-day operations and online ordering strategy. Through all of it, Tom has balanced third-party delivery, direct ordering, and operational recovery at the same time — and over the years, learned the difference between a platform that cashes his checks and a partner that has his back.

Beyond Menu earned the front page of our menu. They give us the most orders, the best customers, and the best reviews.

Tom | Operating Manager, Fresh Wok

How Beyond Menu Became Fresh Wok’s Secret Sauce

Chargebacks became proactive, not reactive

Tom’s biggest frustration with the big delivery apps wasn’t the fees — it was the chargebacks that showed up without warning. A driver marked an order undeliverable after confirming pickup. A customer disputed a charge days later. Fresh Wok would find out only after the money was already gone.

Beyond Menu works the opposite way. When a customer raises an issue, customer service calls Fresh Wok first, lays out the facts, and lets Tom decide whether a refund is appropriate. Nothing is refunded until he’s in the loop. As Tom put it: “They don’t even let the chargeback come through unless we know about it. It’s not reactive, it’s proactive. That’s partnership.”

A manager app that actually runs the restaurant

The new Beyond Menu Manager App changed how Tom runs his day. What used to be a reporting tool is now a full operations hub: he can update menu items on the fly, accommodate customer special requests with extra fees, pull up old orders to resolve “I’m missing something” disputes, and see financial history without digging through paper tickets.

“It’s night and day,” Tom said. “I can more easily make modifications to orders using the new app on my phone than having to go to the tablet or the PC with the larger carriers. Beyond Menu is equally as dynamic as Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub — and in some ways more dynamic.”

Built a reliable direct channel for regulars

Fresh Wok still uses third-party apps to reach new diners but they stopped relying on them for repeat business. Beyond Menu became the primary place regulars place their orders, creating a consistent, lower-cost stream of repeat business the restaurant can actually count on.

The difference shows up in the numbers: 500 to 600 orders a month on average, and 800 to 1,000 during peak season — without the acquisition-fee drag that comes with running repeat customers through a delivery app.

Payment and customer data handled the right way

Fresh Wok had previously worked with an ordering platform that sent them customer credit card numbers, names, and addresses in the clear — a compliance and fraud risk Tom wasn’t willing to tolerate. They terminated that contract.

With Beyond Menu, payments are processed end-to-end and Fresh Wok only sees the last four digits of the card. “That takes a giant load off,” Tom said. “We’re able to quickly process the order, cook it, pack it, and have it ready for the customer in 20 minutes.”

A partnership that actually listens

The through-line of Tom’s experience with Beyond Menu is how it feels different from working with the big delivery apps. When he flagged shortcomings in the old Manager App, the product team (including Cole, who Tom asked us to shout out by name) actively worked to correct nearly every issue he raised.

“With Beyond, no matter who I talk to at customer service, they treat me like a partner,” Tom said. ” I have a partner and I have the tech. That’s a great relationship.”

How Beyond Menu’s Booster Pack Can Help Your Restaurant

→ 1. Review Solicitation

Customer reviews are key to boosting your restaurant’s online presence. Our Booster Pack makes it easy to gather reviews with drop cards, table tents, and check stands featuring QR codes.

→ 2. Review Management

Managing reviews can be time-consuming. Our platform helps you easily track and respond to reviews, including automating responses when necessary, so you never miss an opportunity to engage with your customers.

→ 3. Email Marketing

Beyond Menu sends monthly targeted email campaigns to diners within 5 miles of your restaurant, helping to drive more traffic and increase orders.

→ 4. Social Media Management

Take professional-looking photos of your dishes with just your smartphone. Beyond Menu will edit them to perfection, saving you time and money while attracting more customers with high-quality images.

→ 5. Social Offers

We help create affordable, high-margin menu item coupons to attract new customers without cutting into your profits.