Most restaurant owners get into the business because they love food, hospitality, and taking care of people.
Then they discover how much of the job happens behind the scenes.
For Jennifer Pope, owner of Louie’s Bistro and Venice Island Coffee in Venice, Florida, sales tax became one of those responsibilities she never wanted to get wrong.
As her business grew from one restaurant to two, keeping track of the money, filing the paperwork, and making sure everything was paid on time became a recurring source of stress.
That changed when she discovered DAVO.
Sales Tax Automation
Pope found DAVO while looking through the technology integrations available through her Toast POS system.
At first, she wasn’t convinced she needed it.
“No, I can do this. I’m not gonna spend money on this,” Pope remembered thinking.
But as her restaurants grew, so did the demands on her time. What had once been another task on her list was now something she had to manage across two businesses.
Eventually, Pope decided to test DAVO at one restaurant.
DAVO automatically sets aside the sales tax collected by the restaurant and handles the payment, removing the need for Pope to manage the process herself every month.
“I don’t have to touch it. I don’t have to worry about it. They pay it for you,” Pope said.
For Pope, the biggest benefit is removing the stress of wondering whether that money could accidentally be used elsewhere before the sales tax payment was due.
“It’s out of sight, out of mind,” she said.
Learning the Business Behind the Restaurant
That experience reflects a larger lesson Pope has learned since becoming a restaurant owner.
Before opening her first location, she spent 19 years working in the medical field. Her husband had decades of restaurant management experience, but Pope had to learn much of the business side as she went.
Her first restaurant started with an electric cash register and handwritten tickets. Eventually, the business moved to a POS system, helping orders reach the kitchen faster, improving service, and making it easier to turn tables.
At first, investments in technology could be difficult to justify.
But Pope eventually realized that doing everything herself also had a cost.
“You’re gonna spend it in your time,” Pope said. “What’s more important, your time or, you know, not paying it?”
DAVO became another example of that lesson.
“It was probably one of the easiest things I’ve ever done,” Pope said.
A Family Restaurant Story
Pope’s restaurants are deeply connected to her family.
Her father was a firefighter in Ashland, Kentucky and the chef at his firehouse. When he wasn’t working, Pope remembers her family kitchen becoming a gathering place where firefighters would drink coffee, laugh, and spend time together.
That influence eventually made its way into her restaurants.
Pope brought her family’s Southern cooking traditions to Florida, serving dishes like biscuits and gravy, pancakes, and French toast. But she also learned that operating a successful restaurant meant listening to the people walking through the door.
“You serve not just what you want, but you serve what your guests are wanting,” Pope said. “That’s key right there, knowing your audience.”
That personal approach helped Pope build restaurants where regulars are known by name and guests feel like part of the family.
Finding Easier Ways to Operate
Technology now plays a much larger role in Pope’s restaurants.
She uses Toast throughout the day, has introduced scheduling technology, and relies on digital tools to make service easier for both employees and guests. Handheld ordering and digital payments allow her team to spend less time dealing with unnecessary friction.
Those lessons are also shaping the next generation of the family business.
Pope’s youngest daughter started working at the restaurant at 14 and is now being prepared to eventually take over the original location. Pope wants her to understand more than serving guests. She wants her to understand the business behind the restaurant.
It is knowledge Pope wishes she had when she first became an operator.
“There’s easier way to do things,” Pope said. “Just look into it and learn.”
