If you’re already up and running with your food biz, it can feel daunting to suddenly change softwares. It’s likely you spent days, maybe even weeks or months making your current system functional and efficient, so we understand if you’re hesitant to make the switch.

Though it might take some initial getting used to, we stand behind our belief that Hotplate will save you so much time and money in the long run, that it’s worth the few hours of work it’ll take you to transition. Don’t worry, our team will be there every step of the way.

This article aims to give you an in depth an honest look at what a realistic transition to Hotplate will look like for your business.

For brand new chefs

If you’re just starting out your pop up food business, then Hotplate could not be easier for you to get started with. Here’s how that will look for you:

1. Fill out the sign up form here
2. In about 24 hours you’ll receive log in info for your new account. Why the wait? We manually set up each account based on the info you provide in the sign up form.
3. Go to hotplate.com/portal and log into your account.
4. Customize your store’s branding: In the top right corner, click on your icon, then click Settings. This is where you’ll set up branding and preferences for your Hotplate store. We have a guide with tips and tricks for that step here.
5. Set up payments: Click Transactions at the top of the page. This is where you’ll see all future earnings from Hotplate sales, but for now, you should take a moment to connect a bank account so you can initiate withdrawals after your first sale.
6. Create your first event: Click Events at the top of the page. This is where you’ll create your first event and start your Hotplate journey!

For chefs with existing operations

Maybe you already have a payment software you’re using but it’s not ideal for pre orders. Maybe you’re ready to switch over to a pre-order only business, or maybe you just want something more efficient. Whatever the case, switching to Hotplate will be easy and you and your team will be able to master our software fast. We’ve split these steps over a full week, but you can definitely get a lot of the initial set up done in an hour.

Day 1

Fill out the sign up form here.

Day 2

You’ll receive an email from our team with your log in. Bigger businesses may also receive an invitation to meet with someone on our team to help get you set up. Go to hotplate.com/portal and use this login information to get into your account. Spend some time poking around the tabs and getting familiar with the layout.

Day 3

Customize your storefront’s settings

In the top right corner, click on your icon, then click Settings. This is where you’ll set up logos, colors, branding and other preferences for your Hotplate store. We have a guide with tips and tricks for that step here.

Add team members

If you have multiple people using the Hotplate system, you can add them as team members on your Settings page. Simply add them here and they’ll be able to log in using their phone number.

Link your bank account

Click Transactions at the top of the page. This is where you’ll see all future earnings from Hotplate sales, but for now, you should take a moment to connect a bank account so you can initiate withdrawals after your first sale.

Day 4

Import your customer list

If you already have an existing point of sale system or an email list with your customers, our team can help you import those contacts into your Hotplate. The advantage of doing this is that you can send automatic texts to your regular customers when you go live with Hotplate or whenever new sales open.

To do this, please create or export a CSV of your customers from your current system and email it to us at hello@hotplate.com. We’ll manually add these customers into your SMS list from our end, and by the time you’re fully set up on Hotplate, you’ll have all your customers in one place.

Day 5

Create your first event

In the Events tab on the top, click Create. This is where you’ll set up your first pre order on Hotplate. Use this as a test, or an actual event you plan to set live. Add pick up locations and time slots, menu items, and get familiar with the settings.

Announce to your customers

Before you publish your first event, it’s a good idea to let your customers know that your ordering experience is about to change – for the better! Post to your social media pages, send an email, or have in person conversations with customers to let them know they’ll be able to easily order from your Hotplate storefront from now one. Encourage them to join your SMS text list so they get notified whenever you have a new sale available.

Day 6

Most chefs publish their first event within a week of joining Hotplate. Day 6 is a great time to hit publish on that first event you created and get to see the system in action. If you imported a customer list, all those people will receive a text with a link to your Hotplate storefront.

Just sit back, and watch the orders roll in!

To set up delivery or other custom features

If your business has needs not covered by the basic functionality of your Hotplate portal, please contact us. It’s likely we’re working on some new features that will fit your needs and we can give you a sneak preview of.

Getting help along the way

While our tools are powerful, our team is small and super dedicated to your success. If you contact support, you’ll likely be talking to one of our founders. Everyone on the team is super passionate about helping chefs succeed, especially those going through a transition to our platform. You can call or email us at any point along the way (hello@hotplate.com) and we’ll help in any way we can.