Restaurant operators back the guest experience platform they rely on and believe their peers will too
Salt Lake City, UT – Feb 10, 2026: Ovation, the guest experience and operations platform built for multi-unit restaurants, today announced that it raised $3 million in funding from almost a dozen of its own customers, bringing its total funding to $12 million. These customers are restaurant owners and operators who use Ovation every day to improve guest experience, recover unhappy guests, manage reviews and listings, and drive revenue.
Unlike traditional venture rounds, this funding came from the leaders of restaurant brands who believe deeply in Ovation’s mission and impact. These customers invested in a platform they already rely on and believe will resonate with their peers across the industry.
“This is the most meaningful capital we could raise–especially since we didn’t start with the intent to raise. We just had enough customers reach out to invest so we put this small, but significant, round together,” said Zack Oates, Founder and CEO of Ovation. “When the people using your product every day choose to invest their own money, that’s the ultimate validation. It tells us we’re building something that truly matters to operators and is an honor.”
Zack Oates, Founder and CEO, OvationOne of those operators is Jim Bitticks, the CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken, who says the decision to invest was a natural extension of the value Ovation delivers.
“Ovation doesn’t feel like another piece of restaurant tech—it feels like a partner,” said Jim. “We see the impact in our guest relationships, our online reputation, and our ability to fix issues before they turn into lost guests. Investing in Ovation was an easy decision because we believe in what they’re building and how closely they listen to operators like us.”
Jim Bitticks, CEO, Dave's Hot ChickenKyle Archer, Owner and Chief Financial Officer of Elevated, Inc., the largest franchise operation of Cheba Hut, explained:
“I invested in Ovation because it gives us clear, real-time insight into what guests are experiencing at the store level and the ability to act on it immediately. It’s become a critical part of how we protect our brand and keep guests coming back.”
Kyle Archer, Owner and CFO, Elevated, Inc.The customer-led round reflects a growing trend in SaaS toward founder- and customer-aligned growth, where companies prioritize long-term value creation over short-term hype. For Ovation, the partnership represents their internal mantra that they are not a technology company selling to the hospitality industry, but a fellow hospitality company selling technology.
Funds from the round will be used to accelerate product innovation, expand Ovation’s AI-driven insights, and continue building tools that help restaurant teams turn guest feedback into measurable business outcomes—without losing the human connection at the heart of hospitality.
About Ovation
Ovation is a guest experience and reputation management platform for multi-unit restaurants. Thousands of restaurants, including over 1,000 brands like Swig, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Cheba Hut, The Great Greek, and MOOYAH, use Ovation to collect more feedback, recover guests through real-time communication, boost online reputations, and improve operations with AI-driven insights.
