For many, chicken and waffles are the ultimate comfort food—indulgent, sweet and savory, hard to argue with. But for RaShawn Moore, the aroma of deep fried batter and maple syrup was a sign he was out of his comfort zone. On a whim, Moore had reached out to a friend, Chef Judy, about starting a restaurant—what would become Uptown’s Chicken & Waffles. Chef Judy’s culinary expertise had drawn acclaim on Food Network shows like Chopped and Supermarket Stakeout, but neither Moore nor Chef Judy had run full-service restaurants. Crisping tender dark meat and refilling syrup jars is one thing, but optimizing table service, managing reservations, and tracking inventory was a whole new challenge.
When a New Year’s Eve pop-up drew upwards of 300 people, Moore and Chef Judy knew they were on to something. Moore had marketing experience, but now he was figuring out how to run a restaurant with a full bar, regular events, online ordering, and a large patio. Enter Michelle King, SpotOn Hospitality Specialist.
“We wouldn't be able to do what we're doing now had we not switched to SpotOn and been able to use all the benefits and features,” says Moore.
King and Moore worked together to customize a system that would fit Uptown’s specific needs. That meant creating a system for their pen-and-paper host stand, installing a POS behind the bar, and dialing in their modifiers to maximize profit and make their servers more efficient.
It was a game-changer for more efficient operations, but it also enhanced Uptown’s customer service, helping create a better overall guest experience. “SpotOn’s tools gave us legitimacy,” says Moore. “We are more than just a mom and pop thrown together. We have systems in place.”
Uptown’s quickly became a community hub—the spot for live music, trivia nights, family get-togethers. A reservation system lets guests book tables for large parties, making it easier for Uptown’s to prepare for and serve groups of 12-15. “SpotOn Reserve helps turn tables, track tables, get tables clean, get everything moving,” says Moore, “but it also helps our customer service.”
When you’re serving large parties and covering a spacious restaurant, speed matters. Moore programmed modifiers into his restaurant POS to speed up the ordering process. He equipped servers with handheld POS terminals, leading to faster service for patio guests. “Handhelds have become my favorite thing,” says Moore. “They’re easy to use, and they’ve helped us on the patio. Servers save 3-5 minutes per table.”
It’s not just the front-of-house reaping the benefits. With detailed reporting, Moore and the kitchen team develop a more profitable menu with menu engineering. “Reporting was huge for us,” says Moore. “We're transitioning the menu, so we're able to quickly pull what items are selling. And for the items in the lower half, we know it's time to rotate those out.”
There are many ways to measure success. But there’s one number that stands out for Moore. Uptown’s has 43 active employees right now—that means there’s 43 people Moore takes care of and tries to be a positive influence for. He aims to equip his employees with the tools to do whatever they want as their next career step, whether that’s restaurant management or ownership or something else entirely.
In a typical staff meeting, Moore walks his staff through Uptown’s P&L statement, explaining how to calculate food cost percentages. In a volatile industry, Moore is proud to never have missed payroll even in challenging economic environments. And Uptown’s is the only Black-owned full-service restaurant in Fayetteville, North Carolina, open 7-days a week, thriving as a reliable community hub where the food is good, the people are friendly, the music is great, and the vibes are on point.
“Knowing that we’ve created something that people love so much, that’s so rewarding,” says Moore.
