Bushfire Kitchen is a family-owned, health-focused fast casual brand in California, known for scratch-made comfort food made with fresh ingredients. Founded by cousins Oliver and Clive Barwin, the brand has grown to multiple locations across the state.
In 2026, Bushfire Kitchen launched its online ordering and loyalty program through unPLUG, connecting both to Toast POS and to its email and SMS marketing at Attentive. We sat down with Oliver Barwin, Co-Founder and CEO, in September 2026 to talk about what Bushfire wanted to build, why they chose unPLUG, and how they plan to measure success.
At a glance
- Brand: Bushfire Kitchen (health-focused fast casual, family owned)
- Voice: Oliver Barwin, Co-Founder and CEO
- Stack: Toast POS with unPLUG branded web and app ordering. Loyalty sign-up and guest activity connect to email and SMS marketing, with deep link tracking.
- Built for: A Bushfire Loyalty Program that works without an app, sign-up built into online checkout, single sign-on by phone and text, and a website that works almost the same as the app
- Ambition: Drive sales through higher average checks, strong loyalty attachment, and a profitable rewards program
The online ordering and loyalty program Bushfire wanted
Q: What did Bushfire want from an online ordering and marketing partner?
Oliver Barwin, Co-Founder & CEO: We wanted to launch the Bushfire loyalty program, and we wanted a good system that worked well with online ordering and could integrate with a strong email and SMS marketing solution. That was the high level. That was why we talked to unPLUG and signed with them.
Having the Bushfire loyalty program that works without an app was important to us. So was having the website version function almost the same as the app. We really questioned whether we needed an app at all until we dived into the data and saw the frequency and conversion mobile apps drive. Push notifications were a big add.
App-free loyalty program lowers the barrier to entry, and we expected that to lead to significantly more sign-ups. We also wanted guests opted into loyalty when they order online, and item-based rewards and sign-up rewards from day one.
Q: How did you evaluate your options?
Barwin: We looked at it a few ways. Staying close to what we had, an all-in-one platform, an ordering provider paired with a separate loyalty provider, or building our own stack from best-in-class pieces. We went with the last option.
What made unPLUG stand out
Q: What made unPLUG stand out during your evaluation?
Barwin: The guest UI was better. And the ability to customize and build to our needs, versus an out-of-the-box solution that had limitations. Those were probably the two big ones.
We also liked the fact that everything is linked up with phone and text, with single sign-on.
How launch and the partnership are going
Q: How did onboarding and launch go?
Barwin: The online ordering piece was fairly straightforward.
At a high level, launch went well. Generally, it went smooth.
Q: How is the platform working now that you're live?
Barwin: Online ordering is good. The ordering system works pretty well. And Bushfire loyalty program seems to work really well according to the metrics.
Q: Beyond the platform, how has the partnership felt?
Barwin: We appreciate the team helping us with our email and SMS marketing setup. I look at that as unPLUG going beyond what a typical tech company does.
What Barwin would tell a peer
Q: If a peer were considering a switch, how would you describe unPLUG?
Barwin: It's definitely one of the best UIs out there. Very efficient, thoughtful in how it's built, and customizable. I think that ultimately results in a better guest experience and, hopefully, better sales.
unPLUG also does a lot more than a typical tech company, and operates more as a partner. That's a good differentiator.
Relative to what's on the market that I've seen, I'd recommend it.
Q: What advice would you give an operator getting ready to roll out?
Barwin: Plan for it. Onboarding and rollout take a real time commitment from your company to go smoothly and be the best they can be. That's the reality of any tech. Go in ready for that, and you'll get a better launch.
How Bushfire will measure growth
Q: How will you measure success?
Barwin: Ultimately, what we care about is driving sales. We'll look at average check on unPLUG versus POS, to see how well it does at upselling.
Then all the loyalty data: attachment, LTV, and the analysis that comes with Bushfire loyalty program, to make sure it's profitable and we're getting more sales than the discounts we're giving.
Q: What are you most excited about next?
Barwin: Now it's a matter of turning it into results.
With unPLUG deep links, revenue from marketing can be tracked right off the bat. In combination with pixels, one can get better reporting than they used to have.
What other operators can take from this
- Decide early whether your loyalty program needs an app. Bushfire made an app-free restaurant loyalty program a must-have, because a lower barrier to entry means more sign-ups. That one requirement narrowed the field fast.
- Write your must-haves before you compare platforms. Strong partnerships can be better than all-in-ones. Oliver mapped each path, from all-in-one to building his own stack, against a clear list of must-haves and nice-to-haves. Then he picked the platform he could build to Bushfire's needs.
- Make sign-in effortless. Phone and text sign-up with single sign-on keeps the guest experience simple across web and app.
- Set your scorecard before launch. Average check, loyalty attachment, LTV, and profitability against discounts give a clear read on whether the program strategy is earning its keep.
- Make marketing measurable from day one. Deep links and pixels together show which campaigns drive revenue, so spend goes where it works.
- Give rollout the time it deserves. The brands that put real team time into onboarding get the smoothest launches.
For ways to turn more visits into orders, see how to increase your restaurant's online ordering conversion rate.
How unPLUG supports brands like Bushfire Kitchen
unPLUG is first-party revenue infrastructure for multi-unit restaurant and specialty retail brands.
For Bushfire Kitchen, that means:
- Branded web and app ordering: A guest UI built to the brand's needs, with the website working almost the same as the app.
- A loyalty program integrated into the omni-channel guest experience: Phone and text sign-up with single sign-on, so guests can join and earn wherever they order, and every sign-up feeds the email and SMS marketing that brings them back.
- Marketing you can measure: Deep links that track clicks, conversions, and revenue from each campaign.
- A partner, not just a vendor: Hands-on support that extends into the brand's email and SMS marketing setup, as a restaurant growth marketing platform and a strategic partner on the work.
Model your economics: Hidden Revenue Calculator
Built to Fit. Ready to Grow.
Bushfire Kitchen launched its loyalty program and online ordering that fit the way their guests order: easy sign-in, no app required, and a guest UI Oliver calls one of the best out there.
With the foundation live, the focus now is results. Bigger checks, more loyalty members coming back, and marketing they can track to the dollar. We're excited to build it together.
Next steps:
- See more proof points: Case studies
- Lift online ordering conversion: Proven tactics
- Model recoverable revenue: Hidden Revenue Calculator
- Book an intro call: unplugdining.com
About unPLUG: unPLUG helps restaurant brands grow first-party revenue by connecting their tech, integrating loyalty and marketing programs, and improving the entire guest journey from first tap to checkout. Trusted by California Fish Grill, Luna Grill, Pure Green, Bluestone Lane, Parakeet Cafe, Bushfire Kitchen, and leading multi-unit operators nationwide.