Seed funding for company providing lifeline to hospitality industry
The process of ordering, paying, and tipping at various restaurants and other UK-based hospitality businesses just got simpler and easier. Thanks to the FinTech start-up Leslie — an ordering and payment platform that works with QR codes and requires no app download — the landscape of the hospitality industry is poised to change forever.
The benefits of Leslie are multifold, both for patrons and for restaurants. From a patron’s perspective, the process of ordering and paying is simplified and seamless. For the restaurant, there is a new way to improve efficiency and increase average order values. Leslie can be integrated into any electronic point of sale system, so if you’re a restaurateur or hotelier who hasn’t “Got Leslie”, you’re missing out.
Leslie creates the possibility of a new generation of room service in hotels, with services that were traditionally “restaurant only” being transformed into room service. This intuitive ordering and payment system also has the potential to revolutionise how business is done and payment is received for musicians and artists — a simple QR code reader is all that’s needed.
Leslie gets seed funding in recent financing round
The idea of Leslie was quick to gain the attention of funders, and a recent seed funding round has seen the start-up launched following a multi-million-pound investment. Funders include the likes of KKR co-founder, Henry Kravis, Australian BNPL founder, Larry Diamond and Middleby Corporation. The Leslie team will use the funds acquired to accelerate its growth trajectory in the United Kingdom and begin its international expansion.
In light of the global battering that the hospitality industry has suffered as a result of COVID-19, Leslie offers a lifeline and an opportunity for restaurants and other businesses to enhance customer service while increasing revenue and standing out from the crowd.
The brain behind the big idea
The great mind behind Leslie is the ever-innovative Joey Barnett, whose resume includes an impressive array of titles such as investor, board advisor, and managing partner. Barnett’s big idea is helping to empower the hospitality and service industries with faster and more efficient ordering and payment methods that play a critical role in helping them thrive in a world still waging war against a pandemic.
Getting to know Leslie better
Leslie is here, in their own words, to “change the waiting game”. Their blog provides a wealth of trends and growth tips pertaining to restaurants and other businesses in the hospitality industry. Examples of recent posts on their blog include restaurant-specific content like reviewing a menu ahead of Christmas and how to get more positive reviews for your restaurants.
Those looking for more general information about the hospitality industry can find posts about bringing room service into the 21st century and how to make pop-up events run smoothly. You can also keep up with everything that Leslie Tech is up to by following them on social media.
When it comes to possibilities in the restaurant and hospitality industry, the sky’s the limit and Leslie can help any brand overcome some of the challenges that recent years have brought their way.