Emerald Restaurants, the largest fine dining chain based in Bangladesh, set out to revolutionize its customer experience by bringing its celebrated culinary experience online. Known for fusing global cuisines with refined ambiance, Emerald has earned a reputation for innovation and quality. To sustain this momentum and strengthen its digital presence, Emerald collaborated with Antopolis to build a customized restaurant management platform. This strategic move aimed to elevate both customer convenience and internal efficiency, while laying the foundation for long-term brand independence and growth

Analysis

Challenge at Hand

With a growing portfolio of fine dining brands and over 19 outlets across Dhaka, Emerald Restaurants faced rising complexity in managing customer orders, especially deliveries. Customer expectations were shifting quickly toward digital experiences, but Emerald lacked an in-house e-commerce platform. This gap limited their control over customer engagement and forced reliance on third-party food delivery services. These platforms, while helpful for reach, charged high commissions and restricted Emerald’s ability to fully represent its brand and personalize services. Without a dedicated ordering system, Emerald couldn’t monitor or optimize the full customer experience. Operational oversight was decentralized, making it difficult for management to track performance or respond in real time. Emerald’s leadership recognized that to protect margins, ensure quality, and scale effectively, they needed a direct, unified online presence. They envisioned a platform that would give them full ownership of the customer journey, minimize reliance on third-party services, and mirror the elegance and precision of their in-person dining. To bring this vision to life, they partnered with Antopolis.

Evolution

Technological Transformation

Antopolis approached the project with a clear focus on capturing the diversity and richness of the Emerald brand while addressing deep operational inefficiencies. The goal was not just to build a website, but to develop a full-fledged, multi-outlet e-commerce platform from scratch. The customer-facing interface was designed to be intuitive and visually aligned with Emerald’s premium identity. Users can now explore various restaurants by location, view menus, place orders seamlessly, and create personal accounts for easier repeat usage. The platform brings together all of Emerald’s outlets into a single cohesive ecosystem while highlighting the unique vibe and culinary offerings of each location. On the backend, Antopolis introduced a powerful management suite, including separate portals for branch managers and higher-level management. Branch managers now have real-time visibility into orders, outlet performance, and operational metrics. All outlets are integrated, allowing staff to receive instant media-rich notifications when an order is placed. Customers, in turn, can track their orders in real time, leading to greater transparency and satisfaction. Crucially, by bypassing third-party intermediaries, Emerald now retains full control over pricing, promotions, customer data, and the end-to-end delivery pipeline. This not only protects revenue margins but also strengthens direct customer relationships. For the first time, Emerald has the digital infrastructure to match the quality of its in-person service—custom-built, flexible, and scalable as the brand grows.

Purpose

Meaningful Impact

The rollout of the new platform had a transformative impact on both customer experience and internal operations. With an elegant and functional digital interface, Emerald empowered customers to engage directly with the brand, free from third-party platforms. Customers now receive real-time updates, enjoy a consistent experience across outlets, and can place orders more confidently. The result has been a notable increase in online sales and delivery reliability. Operationally, the system resolved long-standing inefficiencies through three seamlessly integrated apps: one for customers, one for restaurant managers, and one for senior leadership. Managers now use intelligent dashboards to improve decision-making and eliminate delays, while the leadership team gains access to monthly performance reports and data-driven insights for strategic planning—from staffing to marketing. The ability to collect and analyze direct user data unlocks new potential for personalization, retention, and menu innovation. What was once a collection of standalone outlets is now a unified, tech-enabled ecosystem—reinforcing Emerald’s evolution into a forward-thinking, data-smart brand.

Vision

Way Forward

With its new platform, Emerald Restaurants is poised for digital and physical growth. The road ahead has the potential to eventually include mobile apps, enhanced order tracking, and loyalty programs. The system offers data-driven insights for smarter decisions in operations and marketing. Owning this scalable digital backbone enables Emerald to explore cloud kitchens, streamline reservations, and strengthen customer relationships, positioning it as a leader in Bangladesh’s fine dining industry.