It's one of the most frustrating experiences in the restaurant industry. You sign a contract, you pay for a system, and the moment you need actual support — the vendor is nowhere to be found. Tickets go unanswered. Calls go to voicemail. The rep who sold you the system has moved on.
This isn't rare. It happens across POS companies, online ordering platforms, network vendors, and every other category of restaurant tech. Here's how to handle it.
Start by escalating within the company
If frontline support is unresponsive, escalate. Most vendors have account management tiers above the general support queue. Call the sales number — salespeople answer — and ask to speak to an account manager or customer success manager. If you were sold by a specific rep, reach out to them directly. Going around the support queue often moves things faster.
When you do reach someone, be specific. State the issue, how long it's been unresolved, the ticket numbers you've opened, and what resolution you need. Vague complaints are easier to dismiss than specific documented ones.
Document everything
The moment you sense a support problem developing, start keeping records. Note the date and time of every call, the name of every person you speak to, and what was promised. Screenshot every unanswered ticket. Forward email chains to yourself. This documentation matters for two reasons: it helps you escalate more effectively inside the company, and it becomes critical if you eventually need to invoke your contract terms or pursue a refund.
Practical tip: Create a simple running log in a shared Google Doc or Notes app. Date, contact name, what was discussed, what was promised, outcome. Thirty seconds per interaction, invaluable when you need to escalate.
Review your contract
Pull out your service agreement and read the support terms carefully. Most contracts specify response time SLAs — service level agreements — that define how quickly the vendor is required to respond to issues. If they're violating those terms, you now have contractual grounds to escalate, request credits, or in some cases exit the agreement. Look specifically for: response time commitments, uptime guarantees, breach remedies, and termination provisions.
Go public — carefully
A well-documented, factually accurate review on G2, Capterra, or Google can move vendors faster than months of internal escalation. Keep it professional, factual, and specific. Emotional or exaggerated reviews are easier for vendors to dismiss (and have less credibility with other operators reading them). A clear, documented account of what happened is powerful.
Know when to leave
If a vendor is consistently unresponsive and the issue is affecting your operation, start evaluating your options. Review your contract for exit provisions — early termination fees, data portability, and notice periods. Understand what switching costs look like. The cost of leaving a bad vendor is almost always lower than the long-term cost of staying with one.
Before you switch, get clarity on your data. You have a right to export your menu, your customer data, your reporting history, and your transaction records. Some vendors make this easy. Others make it deliberately painful. Push for it in writing before you cancel.
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