Charles Bililies of Souvla on Creating a Fast-Fine Greek Restaurant

Souvla Founder/CEO Charles Bililies (@cbililies) knew opening a Greek restaurant in San Francisco wasn’t going to be easy. But the restaurateur also knew he had something special to offer with his “fast fine restaurant.”

Watch now to learn about operating a fast-fine concept, believing in an entrepreneurial vision, and how Toast revamped his restaurant tech stack.

@calibbqmedia @souvla @toasttab

WHAT DID YOU LEARN on this episode of the Restaurant Influencers podcast, presented by the @Toast point of sale and restaurant management technology company? Let us know by leaving a YouTube comment below.

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Chapters:

[01:03] - Charles Bililies 2-Minute Drill

[10:49] - Food and Heritage

[14:21] - Running a Greek Restaurant

[25:12] - Lesson Learned from Delta Branding

[34:48] - Switching from Square to Toast

Charles Bililies is a Restaurant Influencer -

What sets Souvla apart is its unique concept — a "fast fine" dining experience that combines the accessibility of fast-casual restaurants with the elevated flavors of fine Greek cuisine. This is representative of founder Charles Bililies' journey to realize his culinary vision through determination and innovation.

“My position is that we have sort of created the fast fine format,” says Charles Bililies matter of factly to Shawn Walchef of “This sort of elevated version of the fast casual space, that not only allows people to enjoy the cuisine and the wine in the restaurant, but also take it togo, have it delivered, order online.”

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for Souvla.

When Charles Bililies first revealed his plan to start the Greek restaurant in San Francisco, his parents — both entrepreneurs themselves — were taken aback, yet ultimately supportive. They had witnessed their son's unconventional decisions before when he wanted to leave his traditional university and attend culinary school.

As Souvla began to grow, Bililies recognized the need to integrate technology seamlessly into his operations. He considers Souvla a technology-first restaurant and knew he had to revamp its tech stack to grow.

Bililies sought out the best-in-class specialists to optimize efficiency, but faced the challenge of ensuring these systems could communicate with each other effectively.

That's when Bililies discovered Toast — the comprehensive point of sale and restaurant management platform that allowed him to integrate external partners and streamline operations. With Toast as the center, Souvla's technology ecosystem could work harmoniously, ensuring a smooth and consistent experience for customers and staff.

With the "fast fine" concept, Charles Bililies has not only reinvigorated Greek cuisine, but also transformed the dining experience itself. Through innovative technology integration, Souvla continues to deliver authentic flavors while catering to the evolving technology preferences of its customers.

Souvla’s success story serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and a testament to the possibilities that arise when authenticity, innovation, and a love for food converge.

#souvla #greek #restaurantowner

Episode Links:

Souvla website

Charles Bililies IG

Toast Customer Advisory Board Members

ABOUT CHARLES BILILIES:

Charles Bililies is the Founder & CEO of Souvla, a San Francisco “Top 100 restaurant”. Holding a degree in Hospitality from Cornell University, he has a deep-seeded love for the hospitality realm. He comes from a family tradition of restaurateurs and is deeply passionate about the hospitality experience. His innovative Greek restaurant has been featured in publications, such as The Today Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Bloomberg. Bililies now leads strategic development for his restaurant group, and also now serves as an advisor to partners in the food and tech space.

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS:

Restaurant Influencers is a weekly video podcast series presented by Entrepreneur Media and Cali BBQ Media. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with business leaders like Rob Dyrdek, Guga, Chris Comparato, Meredith Sandland, and more, about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling, marketing and branding, and how to show up where customers are engaging online.

• Published by Entrepreneur Media

• Produced by Cali BBQ Media

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RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS IS PRESENTED BY TOAST

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