Francesco’s orders used to come in through Instagram DMs and last-minute texts.
Since joining Hotplate just two months ago, he’s gone from prepping 200-300 meals a week to 1,500. His first drop brought in $1,694. His most recent? $14,912. That’s nearly 9x over nine weeks. He’s gained over 350 subscribers and finds that anywhere from a quarter to half of new customers are choosing Hotplate’s third-party delivery option at checkout.
Francesco owns and operates Tutto Buono Meals to Go, a meal prep business in Pomona, California that sells directly to customers through Hotplate. He cooks fresh, healthy meals that nourish a range of customers including busy families, gym-goers committed to their fitness goals, and anyone craving nutritious comfort food.
Everything is good
Francesco grew up in Italy, learning to cook alongside his grandmother. Tutto Buono began earlier this year, when his wife was pregnant and he started meal prepping for her specific dietary needs.
Before long, people at his gym began asking for meals too, and word spread through his local community.
The name says it all: tutto buono means “everything is good” in Italian. Francesco cooks Italian-based fusion that changes every week, so regulars always have something new to try. Recent dishes include:
Carbonara
Shrimp Pistacchiosa
Tagliatelle Al Ragù
Sicilian Ribeye Steak
Spaghetti with Braciole
Francesco serves all kinds of customers, from athletes tracking their macros and busy families feeding hungry kids, to fellow Italian-Americans longing for their favorite home-style comfort foods.
From DMs to drops
Francesco has been in the restaurant business for seven years. His other company caters private schools, feeding about 4,000 kids every day. But he could never find a platform that let him sell directly and stay close to the people he cooks for.
Before Hotplate, customers placed orders via text and DM.
"It was like a mess. Everybody was texting me on Instagram, trying to get orders, always last minute. I didn't know my inventory. I didn't know anything."
Hotplate gave him one place for menus, orders and customers, and what he calls "the possibility to be open to the public." Before Hotplate, he made 200 to 300 meals per week. Nine drops later, he’s at 1,500.
When Francesco logs into Hotplate to set up a drop on Monday, he can see how many people are subscribed and waiting.
"It's like, okay, there are 350 people waiting for your drop on the app. It's pretty exciting, all these people waiting for us."
Delivery, built into checkout
Customers used to message Francesco asking if he could deliver. He'd say yes, but driving orders himself was costly for a one-man operation, especially with high gas prices.
When he saw that Hotplate announced third-party delivery, he turned it on right away. "I was like, perfect, okay, let's try," he said.
Now delivery is just part of checkout, and the handoff is simple.
"Honestly, I never had a problem. The driver comes, they show me the QR code, and then they go and they deliver the food and everybody's happy."
Each drop brings in 40 to 50 new customers, and he estimates that 25 to 50% of them are choosing delivery.
A weekly drop routine
Francesco's week follows the same rhythm:
Monday: He writes the new menu and uploads photos of each dish with its macros.
He builds the drop, checks how many subscribers are waiting, and schedules it to open Tuesday.
Two minutes before orders open, every subscriber gets a text: Tutto Buono is about to drop!
24 hours before orders close, a scheduled reminder goes to subscribers who haven't ordered yet.
"I have the possibility to put pictures, I have the possibility to put macros, and I have the possibility to send messages to people during the drop. That's a lot of possibility that nobody else offers."
Start your own business
Francesco hopes more chefs take the leap.
"I would like more chefs who just want to do their own thing to sign up with Hotplate and just go. Then maybe you're going to have your own restaurant, you can put on your techno music, you can chill, you can enjoy, and you can start your business and your journey."
If your customers have been asking for delivery, you can turn it on for your next drop in just a few clicks.
If you’re near Pomona, CA, subscribe at hotplate.com/tuttobuonomealstogo to get a text when Tutto Buono drops. Follow them on Instagram @tuttobuonomealstogo.
