Brian Casel
@CasJam United States12K followers
Serial bootstrapper behind Audience Ops, Clarityflow and Builder Methods
Builder Methods, Agent OS, Clarityflow (formerly ZipMessage) +2
exit story · 2015 · productized services
Restaurant Engine acquisition (2015)
Restaurant Engine was built by Brian Casel and sold in 2015. At the time of the sale it made ~$120K gross annual revenue, ~$53K profit (per broker listing).
Key facts
- Buyer
- Undisclosed
- Year
- 2015
- Price
- Undisclosed
- Revenue at sale
- ~$120K gross annual revenue, ~$53K profit (per broker listing)
- Years operated
- 4 years
- Channel
- Broker
The story of Restaurant Engine
Restaurant Engine offered ready-made, hosted WordPress websites for restaurants and was an early example of a productized service. Brian Casel launched it around 2011-2012 and spent years streamlining it until it needed only about 15 hours of his time per month, with contractors handling most daily operations. It also included Hotel Propeller, a smaller offshoot for hotels.
Brian listed the business with the broker FE International at an asking price of $185,000. According to the listing, it was generating around $120,000 in gross annual revenue and over $53,000 in profit. In August 2015 Post Status reported that it had sold for a low six-figure sum, structured as upfront cash plus an earn-out. Brian received multiple offers and chose a buyer with a development background whom he trusted to keep improving the product. The buyer was not named publicly.
Brian later called working with a broker a very good experience. Afterwards he focused on Audience Ops, a productized content marketing service he sold in 2021.
Lessons Brian Casel shared
- 1.Prepare the business to be sellable well in advance, with documented systems and processes.
- 2.Remove yourself from day-to-day operations before selling.
- 3.Hire a bookkeeper early so the financials are clean for buyers.
- 4.Running the product as its own legal entity, rather than inside a holding LLC, would have made the sale simpler.
Paraphrased from the maker's public posts and interviews (see sources).
The maker
See the Restaurant Engine product page or Brian Casel's full profile for everything they have built since.
Other exits by Brian Casel
Brian Casel's focus had shifted to his software products, especially ZipMessage; he no longer wanted to sell marketing services and felt he was not the right person to take the business further.
by Brian Casel
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Sources
- poststatus.com — poststatus.com/restaurant-engine-sold-for-low-six-figures/
- feinternational.com — feinternational.com/blog/interview-how-to-sell-a-saas-business-with-a-broker
- briancasel.com — briancasel.com/sold-audience-ops
- linkedin.com — linkedin.com/in/briancasel
Facts are taken from the maker's and buyer's public statements and press coverage. Prices and revenue are shown only when publicly stated; self-reported figures are not independently verified.
Keep exploring
Restaurant Engine acquisition FAQ
Who bought Restaurant Engine?
The buyer of Restaurant Engine has not been publicly disclosed; the sale happened in 2015.
How much did Restaurant Engine sell for?
The price was not publicly disclosed. At the time of the sale Restaurant Engine made ~$120K gross annual revenue, ~$53K profit (per broker listing).
How long did it take Restaurant Engine to get acquired?
Restaurant Engine was sold about 4 years after launch, through a broker (sold through an M&A broker such as FE International or Quiet Light).
What did Brian Casel learn from selling Restaurant Engine?
Prepare the business to be sellable well in advance, with documented systems and processes. Remove yourself from day-to-day operations before selling.