Olo
A United States-based business-to-business software company providing digital ordering, payments, guest-engagement, and related technology for restaurant brands.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Olo is a business-to-business software-as-a-service company focused on digital commerce for restaurants. The company provides technology that enables restaurant groups to receive, manage, personalize, and analyze orders placed through a variety of digital channels. These channels can include a restaurant brand's own website or mobile application, third-party marketplaces, social-media interfaces, voice assistants, and other connected ordering points. The business began in 2005 as GoMobo, founded by Noah Glass in New Haven. Its initial product was a consumer-facing mobile ordering service that allowed people to preorder food by text message, particularly from coffee shops, for later pickup. As restaurant technology needs evolved, the company moved away from operating primarily as a customer-facing application. In 2010 it adopted the name Olo, derived from “online ordering,” and repositioned itself as infrastructure that restaurants could use behind their own branded digital experiences. Olo's platform is designed to help restaurant operators retain control of their direct digital relationships while connecting orders from multiple sources into restaurant operating systems and fulfillment workflows. Its capabilities have included branded web and app ordering, integrations with marketplaces and discovery services, order management, data and analytics, customer intelligence, payment functionality, and technology intended to support restaurant point-of-sale and operational environments. The company is therefore generally positioned as restaurant-commerce infrastructure rather than as a consumer restaurant brand. The platform gained adoption among recognizable restaurant chains during the 2010s. In 2017, Shake Shack introduced the Shake App using technology created by Olo. Other restaurant companies identified as Olo customers or users have included Denny's and Wingstop. In 2019, Olo partnered with Google to help connect restaurant discovery and ordering through Google Search and related Google applications, giving customers a route to order directly without necessarily using a separate third-party delivery marketplace. Olo expanded beyond its original ordering focus through acquisitions and new products. In 2021, it acquired Wisely, a customer-intelligence platform intended to help restaurants use consumer data for more personalized engagement and ordering experiences. In 2022, it acquired Omnivore, a restaurant-technology company whose services supported integrations and operational connectivity. Olo also introduced Olo Pay in 2022, a payment service designed to simplify repeat online purchases across restaurants using the Olo network. The company became publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in March 2021. Its public-market period was later affected by concerns about restaurant customers delaying deployments of ordering software, contributing to a sharp fall in the share price beginning in August 2022 and subsequent investor litigation. In 2025, private-equity firm Thoma Bravo agreed to acquire Olo in an all-cash transaction reported at approximately $2 billion. The purchase was announced as completed on September 12, 2025, after which Olo became privately held. Olo remains an enterprise technology provider serving restaurant operators, with its products typically experienced by diners through a restaurant's own branded channels rather than under the Olo name.
History
Olo was established in 2005 as GoMobo by Noah Glass in New Haven. The original concept was a mobile phone service through which customers could preorder food by text message from participating coffee shops and collect it later. This placed the early company close to the emerging mobile-ordering market, but its later strategy became less focused on owning the consumer relationship directly. In 2010, the company changed its name to Olo, a reference to “online ordering.” The rebrand accompanied a shift toward business-to-business software. Rather than presenting Olo as a prominent consumer destination, the company developed technology that restaurant brands could embed into their own websites, applications, and digital operating processes. This approach allowed restaurants to offer branded ordering while using shared infrastructure for order routing, integrations, analytics, and operational management. The company expanded its restaurant customer base during the 2010s. By 2015, Fortune reported that restaurants using Olo's software had served roughly 10 million customers. In 2017, Shake Shack launched the Shake App using Olo-created technology. Denny's and Wingstop were also identified among restaurant brands using Olo software. These relationships illustrated Olo's role as an enterprise platform whose technology could appear under a restaurant operator's brand. In 2019, Olo partnered with Google to connect restaurant discovery with direct ordering through Google Search and related Google products. The arrangement was part of a wider effort to make ordering available at points where customers discover restaurants, while enabling restaurants to receive orders without relying exclusively on third-party delivery marketplaces. Olo's platform could receive orders from owned channels, marketplaces, social-media services, smart speakers, and home assistants, depending on the relevant integrations. Olo's scope broadened through corporate development. In 2021, it announced the acquisition of Wisely, a customer-intelligence company using consumer data to support personalization and restaurant engagement. In February 2022, Olo launched Olo Pay, intended to enable simpler one-click online purchases across restaurants connected to the Olo network. During the same month, it acquired Omnivore, a company providing restaurant technology services and integrations. Together, these moves extended Olo beyond basic digital ordering toward payments, customer data, and restaurant operating connectivity. Olo entered the public markets on the New York Stock Exchange on March 17, 2021. The initial public offering raised approximately $450 million, and the company was reported to have a valuation of about $3.6 billion at the time of its market debut. Earlier, in January 2020, Bloomberg had reported that Olo might seek an initial public offering at a valuation of approximately $1 billion, although the plans were delayed during the COVID-19 period. These financial figures belong to specific historical periods and should not be treated as current valuations. The public-company period brought operational and legal pressure. Starting in August 2022, Olo's stock declined substantially as some restaurants delayed deployment of its ordering software. Several law firms filed investor “stock-drop” suits, seeking to establish that shareholders had not received adequate disclosure about factors connected to the decline. The litigation was reported as a consequence of the share-price fall; the available reference material does not establish a final adjudication or finding of wrongdoing. In July 2023, Jo Lambert was named chief operating officer. In 2025, private-equity firm Thoma Bravo agreed to acquire Olo in an all-cash transaction reported at approximately $2 billion. Thoma Bravo announced completion of the purchase on September 12, 2025. Olo consequently became privately held. Its historical development is therefore defined by a progression from text-message food preordering, to white-label restaurant online-ordering infrastructure, and then to a broader restaurant-commerce platform incorporating payments, customer intelligence, integrations, and analytics.
- 2025
Thoma Bravo completes acquisition
[1]Thoma Bravo completed its purchase of Olo on September 12, 2025, taking the company private.
- 2023
Jo Lambert becomes chief operating officer
[1]Jo Lambert was appointed chief operating officer in July.
- 2022
Olo Pay launches and Omnivore is acquired
[1]Olo introduced Olo Pay and announced the acquisition of Omnivore, expanding into payments and restaurant technology integrations.
- 2021
Initial public offering
[1]Olo listed on the New York Stock Exchange on March 17, 2021.
- 2021
Wisely acquisition
[1]Olo announced the purchase of Wisely to add customer-intelligence and personalization capabilities.
- 2019
Google ordering partnership
[1]Olo partnered with Google to facilitate direct restaurant ordering from Google discovery products.
- 2017
Shake App launches with Olo technology
[1]Shake Shack introduced its branded application using technology created by Olo.
- 2010
The company becomes Olo
[1]GoMobo adopted the Olo name as it shifted from a consumer application toward restaurant-facing online-ordering software.
- 2005
GoMobo is founded
[1]Noah Glass founded the company in New Haven as GoMobo, initially offering text-message-based food preordering.
Products and positioning
Business-to-business restaurant-commerce infrastructure that helps multi-unit restaurant brands operate direct digital ordering, payments, guest engagement, integrations, and analytics across owned and partner channels.
Restaurant online ordering · 2010
Olo Ordering
Olo's core software enables restaurant brands to accept digital orders through branded websites and mobile applications as well as connected third-party channels. The platform is intended to route orders into restaurant operations while preserving a restaurant's branded customer experience. It can support multiple ordering origins, including social platforms, search and discovery services, voice interfaces, and marketplaces, subject to the relevant integrations.
Restaurant payments · 2022
Olo Pay
Introduced in February 2022, Olo Pay is a payment offering designed to make online restaurant purchases faster and simpler. Its stated proposition includes one-click purchasing across restaurants using the Olo network, supporting a more streamlined checkout experience within digital restaurant ordering.
Customer intelligence and engagement
Wisely
Wisely is a customer-intelligence platform acquired by Olo in 2021. Its capabilities use consumer data to support restaurant personalization, engagement, and more relevant digital ordering experiences. The acquisition broadened Olo's offering beyond transaction processing into customer relationship and analytics functions.
Restaurant technology integrations
Omnivore
Omnivore, acquired by Olo in February 2022, developed technology services for restaurants. Its integration capabilities complemented Olo's ordering platform by helping connect restaurant systems and applications to the broader digital commerce environment.
Controversies
2022
Investor stock-drop litigation after share-price decline
After Olo's stock fell sharply beginning in August 2022 amid reports that restaurants were delaying software deployments, several law firms filed suits on behalf of investors. The suits were described as attempts to argue that the company had withheld information relevant to the share-price decline. The available reference does not establish a final court finding or settlement.
Brand decisions
2025
Sale to Thoma BravoM&ABackground
After Olo's public-company period and a substantial share-price decline, the company became the subject of a private-equity acquisition.
Action taken
Thoma Bravo agreed to acquire Olo in an all-cash transaction reported at approximately $2 billion and completed the purchase on September 12, 2025.
Aftermath
Olo became privately held and was removed from the public-company structure.
Reported transaction value. Approximately $2 billion (2025 acquisition announcement)
2022
Launch of Olo PayProduct launchBackground
Online restaurant customers and operators needed faster checkout and payment functionality integrated with digital ordering.
Action taken
Olo launched Olo Pay, offering one-click online purchases for restaurants in the Olo network.
Aftermath
The launch extended Olo's platform from ordering and order management into payments.
2022
Acquisition of OmnivoreM&ABackground
Restaurant digital commerce depends on connectivity among ordering, point-of-sale, and other operational systems.
Action taken
Olo acquired Omnivore, a provider of restaurant technology services and integrations.
Aftermath
The acquisition supported Olo's expansion into broader restaurant technology connectivity.
2021
Acquisition of WiselyM&ABackground
Olo sought to expand beyond order capture into customer intelligence and personalization for restaurant operators.
Action taken
Olo announced the acquisition of Wisely, a customer-intelligence platform using consumer data.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened Olo's restaurant-commerce technology portfolio with data-driven engagement capabilities.
2019
Integration with Google restaurant discoveryStrategyBackground
Customers increasingly discovered restaurants through search and other digital services, creating demand for ordering at the point of discovery.
Action taken
Olo partnered with Google to connect Google Search and related Google applications with direct restaurant ordering.
Aftermath
The partnership gave restaurants an additional route for direct digital orders and reduced the need to depend solely on separate third-party ordering applications.
- ChowNow — ChowNow was reported to have a similar arrangement with Google; no specific public reaction is identified in the reference.
2010
Shift from consumer app to restaurant infrastructureStrategyBackground
The original GoMobo service was a customer-facing text-message preorder product, while restaurants increasingly needed branded digital ordering and back-end management tools.
Action taken
The company changed its name to Olo and repositioned itself as a business-to-business software provider that could operate behind restaurant brands.
Aftermath
This strategic change established the white-label and enterprise-platform model that defined Olo's subsequent business.
Recent events
- 2025
Thoma Bravo agrees to acquire Olo[1]
M&A
Private-equity firm Thoma Bravo agreed to take Olo private in an all-cash transaction reported at approximately $2 billion.
- 2025
Thoma Bravo completes acquisition of Olo[1]
M&A
Thoma Bravo announced completion of its purchase of Olo on September 12, 2025, ending Olo's period as a publicly traded company.
- 2023
Jo Lambert is appointed chief operating officer[1]
Leadership change
Jo Lambert was named Olo's chief operating officer in July 2023.
- 2022
Olo launches Olo Pay and acquires Omnivore[1]
Product launch · M&A
Olo introduced Olo Pay for simplified digital restaurant purchases and acquired Omnivore, a provider of restaurant technology services.
- 2021
Olo completes its public-market debut[1]
Other
Olo began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in March 2021 after an initial public offering.
- 2021
Olo announces acquisition of Wisely[1]
M&A
Olo announced the acquisition of Wisely, a customer-intelligence platform intended to extend Olo's restaurant data and personalization capabilities.
- 2019
Olo partners with Google on restaurant ordering[1]
Other
Olo formed a partnership intended to connect restaurant discovery and direct ordering across Google Search and other Google applications.
- 2017
Olo technology supports the Shake App[1]
Product launch
Shake Shack launched its branded mobile ordering application using technology created by Olo.
- 2010
Olo changes its name from GoMobo and adopts a business-to-business positioning[1]
Other
The company adopted the Olo name, reflecting its transition from a consumer-facing mobile preorder application toward restaurant-facing online-ordering software.
Sources10 sources
- 1Olo (online ordering)en.wikipedia.org
- 2Allset Partners with Olo to Streamline Contactless Restaurant Orderingprnewswire.com
- 3Allset Partners with Olo to Streamline Contactless Restaurant Ordering | RestaurantNews.comrestaurantnews.com
- 4Lyft announces major push into food delivery, taking the opposite approach to rival Uberbusinessinsider.com
- 5Olo launches IPOfastcasual.com
- 6Olo launches restaurant ordering app with promise of lower pricesnrn.com
- 7Olo partners with Uber to support alcohol deliverypizzamarketplace.com
- 8Olo prices IPO sharply above its target, valuing company as high as $4.6B | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
- 9Roll-Em-Up Taquitos Announces Five Strategic Tech Partnerships | RestaurantNewsRelease.comrestaurantnewsrelease.com
- 10This new food delivery service is trying to take on DoorDash and Uber Eats by offering no menu markupsbusinessinsider.com
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/olo · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled