Architected an offline-first ordering system using Ditto and event queues for seamless device-to-device communication — empowering festivals, food trucks, and food carts while migrating off legacy Aloha POS.
The Problem
Chick-fil-A needed to support diverse ordering scenarios beyond traditional in-store: festivals, food carts, food trucks, and pop-up locations where WiFi is unreliable or nonexistent. The legacy Aloha POS system couldn't handle offline scenarios, and when WiFi dropped or internet degraded, orders were lost or delayed — unacceptable for a brand built on speed and excellence. Device-to-device communication was fragile, and there was no resilient way to synchronize orders across tablets, kitchen displays, and payment terminals when connectivity failed.
The Solution
Served as Sr. Solution Architect through EY on a $20M engagement. Architected an offline-first ordering system using Ditto for peer-to-peer data synchronization and event queues for reliable message delivery. Ditto enabled device-to-device crosstalk in case of WiFi loss, bad internet, or other connectivity issues — tablets, kitchen displays, and payment terminals could continue operating and communicating with each other without any cloud dependency. Implemented a fully integrated event system that allowed fast updates, device-to-device communication, and eventual rectification with the web once connectivity restored. Orders were processed and parsed locally, then synced upstream as connections became available. This architecture enabled migration off the legacy Aloha system while supporting diverse ordering scenarios.
The Impact
Enabled Chick-fil-A to maintain their signature speed and operational excellence in any environment — from 2,600+ traditional locations to festivals, food trucks, and food carts. The offline-first architecture eliminated order loss during connectivity failures. Device mesh communication via Ditto kept kitchen displays, ordering tablets, and payment terminals in sync without internet dependency. The event queue system ensured eventual consistency with backend systems, meaning zero data loss regardless of connectivity state. The architecture enabled migration off legacy Aloha POS, accelerating future development with new features shipping 3x faster. The $20M engagement delivered transformative value through increased digital revenue and operational resilience.