From One Location to Five: How Technology Enabled a Restaurant Group's Expansion

In 2018, Sofia Dimitri opened her first restaurant—a 45-seat Greek taverna in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Today, Dimitri Hospitality Group operates five locations across New York City, with two more planned for next year.

This is the story of how the right technology foundation made that growth possible.

Chapter 1: The First Location (2018)

Starting Smart

Most restaurant owners don't think much about IT infrastructure when they're opening their first location. Sofia was different.

"My cousin owned a restaurant in Queens," she recalls. "I watched him struggle with technology for years—POS crashes, payment problems, no visibility into what was happening when he wasn't there. I knew I didn't want that."

Before opening, Sofia consulted with us about her technology setup. We designed a system that would work for one location but could scale:

Foundation decisions:

• Cloud-based POS (Toast) with offline capability
• Business-grade network with cellular failover
• IP camera system with remote viewing
• Structured cabling with room for growth
• Managed services from day one

Initial investment: About $8,000 more than the "minimum viable" approach. But that investment paid off faster than anyone expected.

The First Year: Building Confidence

Sofia's first year was remarkably smooth—at least technologically.

• Zero POS outages during service
• No payment processing failures
• Remote camera access let her monitor operations from home
• When her accountant needed sales data, it was one click away

"I'd hear horror stories from other restaurant owners," Sofia says. "Technology disasters during Saturday dinner. I just never had those. It let me focus on food and service instead of fighting with systems."

Chapter 2: The Second Location (2020)

Growing During Crisis

Most restaurant owners weren't thinking about expansion in 2020. Sofia saw opportunity.

"A great location in Williamsburg became available at a price that would have been impossible six months earlier. I had to move fast."

The technology foundation she'd built made rapid expansion possible:

What scaled immediately:

• Same POS system, new location (minutes to configure)
• Same camera vendor, unified viewing
• Same network design, replicated
• Same support team, already knew her business

New challenges addressed:

• Multi-location reporting dashboards
• Inventory visibility across locations
• Centralized employee management
• Cross-location gift card redemption

Time from lease signing to technology-ready: 12 days

"When you're paying rent on a space, every day matters," Sofia notes. "Having a team that knew exactly what to do—and had done it before—was invaluable."

The Pandemic Pivot

The second location opened just as outdoor dining became essential. Technology adaptations:

• QR code ordering for outdoor tables
• Integrated online ordering and delivery
• Contactless payment everywhere
• Text notifications for takeout orders

"We weren't scrambling to figure this out," Sofia says. "Our team said 'here's what we recommend,' and it was running within days."

Chapter 3: Scaling Operations (2021-2022)

Locations Three and Four

With proof that her model could replicate, Sofia moved faster.

Location three: Astoria, Queens (2021) Location four: Upper West Side, Manhattan (2022)

Each new location followed a refined playbook:

Weeks before opening:

• Site survey and network design
• Equipment procurement
• Configuration and testing at staging location

Opening week:

• Installation (typically 2 days)
• Staff training on systems
• Testing and refinement
• Support team on-call for opening night

Average technology setup time per location: 2 weeks from start to finish.

Operational Intelligence

With multiple locations, data became increasingly valuable:

Real-time visibility:

• Sales dashboards showing all locations
• Comparative performance metrics
• Labor cost monitoring
• Inventory tracking and alerts

Insights enabled:

• Which menu items performed best where
• Optimal staffing levels by day and location
• Food cost variances requiring investigation
• Marketing effectiveness by location

"I used to manage by gut feel," Sofia admits. "Now I manage by data. But I wouldn't have that data without systems that actually work and integrate properly."

Chapter 4: Enterprise Challenges (2023-Present)

The Fifth Location and Beyond

Location five opened in 2023—a flagship space in Chelsea with a private event room and expanded kitchen.

New complexity:

• Larger footprint requiring more infrastructure
• Event booking and management
• Expanded A/V requirements
• Higher transaction volumes

Infrastructure evolution:

• Enhanced network with greater redundancy
• Dedicated backup systems for private events
• Integrated A/V control for event space
• Increased monitoring and alerting

Corporate Systems

With five locations, Dimitri Hospitality Group needed corporate infrastructure:

Implemented:

• Central office for corporate team
• Accounting and HR systems
• Unified communications
• Document management
• Employee scheduling platform

Security considerations:

• Role-based access across systems
• Audit logging for financial systems
• Segregated networks for corporate vs. operations
• Executive security awareness training

Lessons Learned: What Sofia Would Tell Her 2018 Self

1. Foundation Matters

"The extra money I spent on infrastructure at location one paid for itself many times over. Cheap systems would have cost me more in downtime, stress, and eventually replacement."

2. Standardization Enables Speed

"Every location runs the same systems the same way. When we open a new location, there's no reinventing. When staff moves between locations, they know what to do."

3. Data Is Power

"I make better decisions because I have real information, not guesses. But data is only useful if your systems capture it accurately and reliably."

4. Support Is Essential

"I don't want to be an IT expert. I want to run restaurants. Having a team that handles technology lets me focus on what actually matters."

5. Plan for Growth

"Even if you think you'll only ever have one location, build like you might have ten. The habits you develop and systems you choose early become very hard to change later."

The Numbers

Looking Ahead

Dimitri Hospitality Group has two more locations in development. The technology playbook is ready.

"What seemed like a big investment in 2018 turned out to be the foundation for a $12 million business," Sofia reflects. "I couldn't have grown this fast—or with this little stress—without the right technology partner."

Is Your Restaurant Ready to Grow?

Whether you're opening your first location or your fifth, the technology decisions you make today determine what's possible tomorrow.

Layth Solutions has been supporting NYC restaurants for 30 years. We understand the unique demands of hospitality—peak hour pressure, tight margins, and the critical importance of systems that just work.

Schedule a free consultation to discuss your restaurant technology needs and build a foundation for whatever comes next.