All articles In the world of fast-paced food service, digital success comes down to creating meaningful, scalable experiences that drive real results. Restel, one of Finland’s leading restaurant groups, faced this challenge (and a global pandemic) and came out strong. Their story is an interesting take on digital transformation, and Codemate is proud to be part of it.
You can watch our 28-minute presentation from the BLOOM event with Restel to hear the full story, or skip to the written highlights in this blog.
The challenge: outdated tech and fading relevance
In 2020, Restel’s main mobile app, Restis, was no longer fit for purpose. Originally developed for hotel guests, a business the company had already exited, the app suffered from poor brand alignment, technical debt, and a fragmented architecture. Customers dining at Burger King or Taco Bell didn’t recognise the app as relevant to them, let alone useful.
Meanwhile, digital food delivery was booming. Competitors like Wolt and Foodora were capturing market share, and the global pandemic pushed digital ordering from a “nice-to-have” to a business-critical necessity. For Restel, staying competitive meant reinventing their digital customer experience – and fast.
The solution: a lean team, a clear vision, and the right tech stack
Rather than overhauling everything at once, the transformation began with a compact, focused team: a designer, a Flutter developer, a backend expert, and part-time project management. Together, we rebuilt the application structure from the ground up, simplified backend operations, and transitioned to Flutter, Google’s open-source framework designed for high-performance, cross-platform apps.
Within weeks, we delivered a working prototype that allowed real-time restaurant orders, not just wireframes, but functioning code.
Scalable success: one app, multiple brands
The first launch, Food&Events, catered to diverse audiences from opera fans to sports enthusiasts. Thanks to its scalable architecture, new restaurant brands could be added in just hours.
Soon after, we introduced the new Burger King app, reusing 95% of the same codebase. In just three months, it was live! A testament to how shared technology and thoughtful design dramatically reduce time-to-market.
Today, five fully branded apps, Food&Events, Burger King, Taco Bell, Rax, and the renewed Restis, run on the same robust platform. Updates are delivered every two weeks, ensuring fresh, responsive user experiences across all devices.
Learn more about the Food&Events, Burger King and Taco Bell apps here!The impact: a digital leap forward
Restel’s transformation didn’t just stabilise their digital business, it accelerated it:
+50% YoY digital sales growth for Burger King
+836% total digital sales since 2020
+960% increase in order volume
With 111 connected restaurants nationwide and a powerful campaign engine built into the backend, Restel can now launch new concepts, menus, and offers in a fraction of the time. Their digital presence is no longer a patchwork, it’s a competitive advantage.
“If you’re in the middle of a big digitalisation project, keep your focus on the user experience. Whatever you digitalise, make sure it’s truly usable – and that it works! And most importantly, choose the right partner to do it with!”
Erno Onatsu
CIO, Tradeka-yhtiöt (incl. Restel)
What’s next: expanding and future-proofing
Restel isn’t slowing down. New restaurant concepts like Casino Helsinki and Hangon Makaroonitehdas are joining the platform. Future development focuses on:
- Accessibility: Ensuring inclusive, legally compliant digital experiences
- AI integration: Driving personalisation and operational efficiency
- Continuous feedback loops: Evolving the apps based on real customer input
Key takeaways for digital transformation leaders
Restel’s journey offers valuable lessons:
- Strategic alignment is crucial – digital transformation only succeeds with executive buy-in.
- User-centric design wins – understanding customer expectations drives loyalty.
- Tech choices matter – frameworks like Flutter make fast, scalable growth possible.
- The right partner makes a difference – Codemate’s cross-functional team ensured consistency from vision to execution.
Restel didn’t settle for incremental fixes. They embraced transformation and thrived. If you’re facing outdated systems, disconnected experiences, or uncertain digital direction, let’s talk.
Want to learn more about our work with Restel?
Minna is happy to tell you more!
