Remember when you used to call your favorite local restaurant and order delivery directly from them? Maybe they knew your usual, asked how your kids were doing, or threw in an extra sauce just because. What happened to those days?
Since the rise of third-party delivery giants like UberEats and DoorDash, the delivery landscape has exploded. In the U.S. alone, food delivery has become a $150 billion global industry and it shows no sign of slowing. Diners have grown accustomed to seamless, app-based ordering with real-time tracking and fast service. But while this model may work for consumers, many in the restaurant world are asking a different question: is it working for them?
The truth is, for restaurants, the trade-offs have become hard to ignore. Third-party apps often take a sizable cut of every order and act as the gatekeepers to customer relationships. To cope, many restaurants have quietly raised their delivery prices or accepted that they no longer own the customer experience. The result? Thinner margins and a growing disconnect between restaurants and the people who love them.
It seems there might be an alternative to the 21st-century status quo in pairing good old-fashioned direct delivery with the tech of the future. Meet Sauce, an AI-powered delivery and marketing platform built specifically for restaurants to help them reclaim their delivery, which in turn, according to them, their margins, their customers, and their businesses.
We spoke with Li-ran Navon, CEO and co-founder of Sauce, in a written interview to learn more about why he believes his product is poised to reshape the delivery game for restaurants across the country.
“Most customers wouldn’t even know that Sauce handled the delivery. Sauce is making it possible for restaurants to ‘take back control’ of their customers by creating the infrastructure necessary to offer first-party delivery,” Navon said.
Unlike third-party platforms that redirect diners away from a restaurant’s site and dominate the entire transaction, Sauce allows customers to place delivery orders directly through the restaurant’s own website. Behind the scenes, Sauce manages the whole process, from driver dispatch to real-time tracking, all the way to issue resolution and even post-delivery feedback.
“In terms of benefits, this allows restaurants to build a ‘personal relationship’ with their customers while saving money (in most cases) over other platforms and apps,” Navon explained. “Sauce charges a set fee for their service over a commission-based system, creating more revenue and profit for the restaurant, all while the customer is receiving a positive delivery experience with features they are accustomed to such as real-time tracking and customer support. All of this is accomplished without the restaurant’s involvement, allowing them to do what they do best, create amazing meals for their customers.”
Of course, managing delivery in-house has historically been a heavy lift for restaurants. Sauce addresses that head-on by acting as a full-stack delivery team. Its AI-powered dispatch engine selects the best driver available from a network of national and local couriers, ensuring consistent quality and speed.
“Using cutting proprietary technology, algorithms, and hands-on, real-time support, Sauce makes this magic happen,” said Navon. “[We’ve] created a mechanism to manage all aspects of first-party delivery under one roof, in effect acting like a team of experts at your disposal from bringing and retaining customers, to the logistical mechanisms needed to manage the entire delivery process on behalf of the restaurant from end-to-end. This is our value proposition to restaurants.”
Sauce’s AI-powered dispatch system taps into multiple networks like DoorDash, UberEats and even smaller, hyperlocal providers, so that restaurants always get the best possible driver for each order. If anything goes wrong? Sauce steps in, not the restaurant.
That same AI muscle now powers Sauce’s newest feature: a customer retention module built to turn one-time diners into loyal regulars. It’s fully automatic, using order behavior to deliver personalized outreach and offers at the perfect time, no marketing team required.
“Early adopters of the retention tool saw a 20% spike in repeat orders, and we project a sustained 30–50% lift over time,” Navon said. “Customer reordering is key to success in restaurants and to Sauce’s mission of creating a bridge between restaurants and their customers. This retention model, which requires no oversight from restaurants, automatically encourages customers to reorder based on order habits, and delivers hyper-personalized outreach at the right moment, with the right message and relevant offer – resulting in better engagement and higher returns.”
And unlike traditional loyalty programs or email software that require constant oversight, Sauce’s engine is always on.
“Traditional retention software tools are passive, [ours] is proactive,” Navon explained. “While point-based loyalty programs and email marketing systems can be effective, they require a lot of management and don’t offer a personalized approach to marketing.” Sauce’s tool, he added, delivers “precision timing, behavioral insights, and built-in delivery incentives, all without the need for human management.”
But for many restaurants, the biggest win isn’t just better margins or smarter marketing—it’s ownership. When a customer orders through Sauce, the restaurant controls the entire experience: the menu, the communication, the data.
“When customers use other ‘third-party’ apps, these apps collect and essentially own the customer’s data, the restaurant’s branding opportunity, and the window for follow-up,” Navon said. “With Sauce, the restaurant owns everything—the website, the menu, the communication, and the customer info. That means they can market directly, build loyalty, and provide a branded experience that actually feels like it’s coming from the restaurant, allowing them to ‘own their customers’.”
And it all works seamlessly with existing systems. Sauce integrates directly into POS tools like Toast, Clover, and Square via API, making it easy for restaurants to manage Sauce orders alongside everything else.
So who’s Sauce best suited for? Navon is clear.
“Our sweet spot is independent restaurants and small chains (up to–15 locations) that already have a loyal customer base,” Navon said. “If you’re a beloved local spot with regulars who’d rather support you directly, Sauce is the answer.”
With over 1,500 restaurants already on the platform and a fast-growing presence in major metros, Sauce seems to be offering up just what we ordered, a direct connection to our favorite local staples, with all the bells and whistles of the modern era, and a little help from AI.
