Case Study - Homeslice Pizza

Challenge

Homeslice Pizza is known for its superb, signature wood-fired pizzas, with popular restaurant locations throughout London. The latest flagship venue opened at the end of 2017, and additional locations are in the pipeline.

While its reputation is based on its fine food and customer experience, like any restaurant chain Homeslice relies on its IT systems to run smoothly, from making reservations to taking orders. So, when selecting a network and Wi-Fi security solution for its restaurant locations, Homeslice chose an integrated solution from WatchGuard, designed and installed by WatchGuard partner Eat IT Drink IT.

“While people come to Homeslice for our pizzas and relaxed, friendly environment, it’s surprising how upset they can get if they can’t get access a Wi-Fi network, and as a business we can’t afford the risk of a security breach,” said Alan Wogan, founder and director at Homeslice Pizza. “That’s why we are putting our trust in the WatchGuard technology and the Eat IT Drink IT team. It means we have one less thing to worry about and can focus on delivering the ultimate pizza dining experience.”

Solution

The WatchGuard solutions cover all aspects of IT security across the Homeslice Group including providing secure Wi-Fi for guests and allowing staff to take orders and process credit card payments at the table, using three separate and secure virtual networks.

The WatchGuard AP320 access points provide complete coverage throughout the restaurants and are managed and controlled by a WatchGuard T30 Firebox, which also protects the fixed network and sensitive data stored on Homeslice IT systems. The T30 appliance delivers anti-spam, gateway antivirus, Intrusion prevention, web-content filtering, application control, HTTPS website inspection and WatchGuard's cloud-based reputation-enabled defense, all in a single appliance.

“For most restaurant guests, reliable and secure Wi-Fi has to be on top of the menu, while restaurant owners need to ensure they are fully PCI compliant at all times and able to protect both guest and company data,” said Cliff Gurdin, owner and director at Eat IT Drink IT. “And with costs going up and margins being squeezed in the food and drink industry, WatchGuard offers flexible, enterprise-level security at affordable costs for small to medium sized businesses.”

The WatchGuard system was up and running in a day and allows Eat IT Drink IT to provide remote monitoring. And with interbranch connectivity between restaurants it will be possible to manage the whole Homeslice IT estate and add features such as video conferencing and remote CCTV. The T30 also supports 4G backup, which became critical at the opening of the new Bloomberg restaurant due to the delay in getting a broadband connection in central London.

Results

With a growing reputation, Homeslice looks set to expand further over the next few years, and it’s not just the pizza getting rave reviews. For Homeslice, WatchGuard's solutions will continue to play a vital role in protecting its business from cyber attacks and ensuring its customers have safe and secure Wi-Fi. As Cliff Gurdin reflects, “Recent events have shown that no company, whatever the size or whatever it does, is secure from potential cyber attacks or security breaches. As well as financial loss, companies can’t afford to suffer reputational damage that can impact revenue and expansion for emerging brands.”