Round Up Donations: Serve

How to Set Up and Enable Round-Up Donations on Serve

At Olo, we’re committed to empowering brands to engage with their communities and support meaningful causes. As part of Olo For Good, Round-Up Donations in Serve allows guests to easily round up their total at checkout and donate to a brand selected charity. This enhancement on our Serve platform builds on existing open dollar donation functionality, creating a seamless experience for guests who wish to give back and a valuable opportunity for brands to connect with their guests on a deeper level. If your brand doesn’t already have a charity partner, we encourage collaboration with No Kid Hungry, a longstanding partner of Olo.

Enabling round-up donations on Serve not only enhances your brand’s community involvement but also offers guests a simple, impactful way to contribute.

Setting Up Open Dollar Donations

To set up Round Up Donations on Serve, brands must first create an Open Dollar Donation fee through the Olo Dashboard. The setup process includes configuration at both the brand level and individual store level, ensuring that each location can manage donations independently.

1. Brand-Level Setup: Start by navigating to the Custom Fees section under the Brand tab. Create a new Open Dollar Donation fee with the necessary details, such as POS reference IDs, donation logos, and descriptions. Proper POS configuration is essential for ensuring donations are processed accurately.
2. Store-Level Enablement: Once the donation fee is created at the brand level, enable it for individual store locations. Each store can support a unique charity, allowing flexibility across different locations within the same brand. Only one Open Dollar Donation fee can be active at a single location on Serve at any given time.

For further information on setting up Open Dollar Donations, please refer to the Custom Fees article.

NOTE: While Olo facilitates the collection of donations, brands are responsible for ensuring that funds are distributed to the designated charity.

How does the information entered in the Olo Dashboard appear in the Serve UI?

When setting up an Open Dollar Donation in the Olo Dashboard, several fields map directly to elements on the Serve UI to provide guests with clear, consistent information about the donation:

• Donation Logo: This appears as a small icon at checkout, helping guests visually identify the cause or organization.
• Customer Facing Label: Displays as the donation title in the checkout summary and in the basket tooltip, serving as the primary identifier for the donation.
• Customer Facing Note: Appears as a brief description in the checkout section, giving guests an overview of the cause.
• Customer Detailed Description: This is displayed in a modal tooltip that guests can access at checkout for more in-depth information about the donation.

These fields allow brands to customize the guest experience, making it easy for guests to understand where their contribution is going. This mapping ensures a seamless flow from brand setup to guest interaction, enhancing transparency and engagement.

Guest Experience: How Round-Up Donations Work

Here's a step-by-step guide to the guest experience when using the round-up donation feature on Serve:

Checkout

When guests proceed to checkout, they will see an option at the bottom of the screen to round up their total to the next dollar amount. If the subtotal is an even dollar, rounding up will add an additional dollar to the order.

Donation Information

Guests will see the donation logo, a brief description of the charity, and any detailed information your brand has provided. This transparency helps guests understand where their donation is going.

Donation Selection Persistence

If a guest selects the round-up option but navigates back to adjust their order, Serve will remember this selection, and the donation amount will automatically adjust based on the updated basket total.

Order Confirmation

Upon completing the order, guests will see the donation as a line item in their order confirmation, providing a clear record of their contribution.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I create a custom fee for Round Up Donations?
  • Navigate to the Custom Fees page under the Brand tab in Dashboard and select "New Fee." Set up an Open Dollar Donation with the required POS configurations.  Detailed descriptions can be found in the Custom Fees article here.
• What setup options are available for the donation display?
  • Brands can configure a donation logo, title, short description, and detailed information to display at checkout, giving guests clear context on the cause they’re supporting.

• Can I configure multiple donation options for guests to choose from at checkout?

  • No, only one Open Dollar Donation can be enabled at any given time for a single store location on Serve. However, different store locations within the same brand can support different causes if desired.

• How can I test the Round-Up Donation feature before enabling it for live locations?

  • To test the feature, configure it in a lab or test store within the Olo Dashboard and place test orders. This allows you to ensure the guest experience and POS integration function as expected before rolling it out to live locations.

• What if I need to disable the Round-Up Donation feature temporarily?

  • You can disable the donation at the store level by navigating to the Custom Fees page under Settings and selecting “Disable” next to the donation. To permanently remove the option, you can delete the donation setup at the brand level.

• What if the subtotal is an even dollar amount?
  • If the order subtotal is an even dollar, rounding up will add a full dollar to the guest’s total.
• Will the donation amount update if a guest changes their basket contents?
  • Yes, if the guest returns to their basket and makes adjustments, the round-up donation will automatically update based on the new total.

• What happens if a guest changes their mind and unchecks the Round-Up option?

  • If a guest unchecks the Round-Up option before completing the order, the donation amount will be removed from the basket total. The Serve platform allows the guest to update their selection freely during the checkout process.

• Do Olo coupons work with the Round-Up Donations feature?
  • Yes, coupons are compatible with the Round-Up Donations feature. The round-up donation amount will be calculated based on the new subtotal after the coupon is applied, ensuring guests can still donate accurately based on their adjusted order total.
• If a guest rounds up will they accrue loyalty points for that donation?
  
  • Loyalty accrual for custom fees and open dollar donations depends on the specific combination of the brand’s POS and loyalty provider, as support for this feature may vary. We recommend checking your brand’s setup and consulting with your CSM to confirm whether loyalty points will accrue in this scenario.

• How does the Round-Up Donation feature differ from the previous workaround using menu categories?

  • Previously, some brands used menu categories or static cross-sell options to promote donations, which required extra steps and lacked flexibility. The new feature integrates directly into checkout, providing a seamless experience and allowing guests to round up their order or select specific donation amounts.  While this is still possible, we strongly encourage brands to use the Round Up Donations functionality due to superior guest experience.
• Does Olo handle the distribution of funds to the charity?
  • No, it is the responsibility of the brand to ensure that collected donations are correctly distributed to the intended charity.
• How do I ensure that the donations appear correctly in my POS?
  • To ensure donations appear correctly in your POS, make sure they are set up according to your brand’s POS guidelines. Then, associate the donation with the Open Dollar Donation fee in the Olo Dashboard using the POS section on the setup page. For additional help, please reach out to your POS specialist or your Customer Success Manager (CSM).
• What reporting is available for donations?
  
  • The Olo Dashboard provides several reports that include donation data, along with order exports available through the Ordering API. Brands may also have native reporting capabilities within their POS system to track donations; however, Olo does not manage how brands report donations through their POS. Each brand should determine its own approach for POS-based donation tracking.
  • Here is a list of reports in the Olo Dashboard that contain donations data:
    • Closed Orders by Store
    • Daily Closed Orders
    • Daily Placed Orders

• Can I use the Round-Up Donation feature if my brand doesn’t already have a nonprofit partner?

  • Yes, if you don’t have an existing nonprofit partner, we encourage partnering with No Kid Hungry, a trusted organization that Olo has long supported. This allows your brand to start using the feature immediately while supporting a meaningful cause.