San Francisco, California-based restaurant tech company Landed announced the official launch of its mobile app that connects hourly restaurant and retail workers with potential employers. The company has also raised a $1.4 million seed round led by Javelin Venture Partners, Y Combinator, Palm Drive Capital, with angel investors also participating in the round.
Landed says it uses a combination video interviews and an “intelligent matching algorithm” to match restaurant job candidates with the most relevant employers. Job seekers download the app, and fill out a profile, including a short video recording, which essentially acts as a digital resume. Candidates are evaluated by Landed’s system based on over 50 data points, among them communication skills, body language, and work longevity. Depending on what an employer wants, Landed can prioritize certain data points over others.
On the hiring side, restaurant managers download the Landed app and input their hiring goals like head count, pay rate, and location(s). Much of the hiring process is then automated: the app can automatically schedule interviews, follow up with candidates, and organize potential employees.
Founder Vivian Wang got the inspiration for Landed after years of working in the retail industry, where turnover rates are typically over 100 percent. Restaurant jobs are similar. Restaurants are also under pressure to make their operations as efficient as possible now that the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated the traditional model. Managers of multi-unit chains, in particular, could benefit from a more streamlined hiring process. The tech-driven model Landed offers restaurants is similar to that of ShiftPixy, which also works with large, multi-unit chains.
Landed’s current customer base includes franchisees of Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, and discount supermarket Grocery Outlet. The app is currently available in seven metro areas: Atlanta, Reno, Dallas-Ft Worth, Scottsdale/Phoenix, Virginia Beach, and Northern and Southern California.
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