July 28, 2025 · Entrepreneurs, Innovation, SSBCI, Stories
Table Needs Serves Up a Smart Way to Run Restaurants
In Alabama’s growing innovation economy, one startup is rewriting the recipe for restaurants. Founded in 2020 by Benjamin Simmons and Daniel Cleary and backed by tech entrepreneur Tim Jenkins, Table Needs offers a Restaurant Operations Platform that solves a growing problem: legacy restaurant technology was leaving independent quick-service restaurants, food trucks and coffee shops behind.
Many independent restaurants rely on expensive, outdated point-of-sale (POS) systems combined with a patchwork of apps for payments, online orders and administrative tasks. These tools were built for national chains, not lean teams. Table Needs is changing that with a system built around real-world workflows, aiming to simplify operations management and reduce the strain on staff and budgets.
At its core, Table Needs integrates the essentials: a cloud-based POS, kitchen display system, commission-free online ordering and QR code functionality perfect for skipping long lines or table-side service. But it goes further. The platform also offers in-house bookkeeping and accounting, payroll services, automated sales tax support and ongoing training and guidance to help restaurant owners scale and succeed.
Accessibility is central to the product design. Table Needs runs on iOS, Android and web browsers, with no proprietary hardware or complex installations required. Restaurants can use devices they already have, keeping costs low while maintaining visibility into every part of the business.
Pricing follows the same straightforward approach. A flat monthly subscription covers all features, including communication tools, financial tracking and credit card processing, with no surprise fees.
This combination of simplicity, flexibility and transparency has gained traction. Table Needs is now used by independent operators across Alabama and beyond. One food truck owner described it as a “mobile app that can do it all,” and coffee shops credit the system with eliminating mix-ups and speeding up services. Across use cases, the impact is consistent: a streamlined, modern approach that makes everyday tasks more manageable.
In 2024, the company received funding through Innovate Alabama’s InvestAL program, part of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) which leverages private and public funding to be a catalyst for small and emerging businesses in Alabama. InvestAL, the State’s venture capital program, provides critical early-stage capital to high-growth startups in Alabama that are solving practical problems with global markets. For Table Needs, that backing arrived at a pivotal moment.
“Innovate Alabama’s support is allowing us to scale in ways that directly benefit local business owners,” Simmons said. “We started Table Needs to serve the people behind neighborhood restaurants. This investment helps us deliver better tools, faster, to those who need them most.” – Benjamin Simmons, co-founder of Table Needs
Charlie Pond, Executive Director of SSBCI at Innovate Alabama, sees Table Needs as a strong example of the outcomes InvestAL was created to drive.
“Table Needs is a homegrown company solving real problems for small businesses,” Pond said. “By helping them grow, we’re also strengthening the food service industry and supporting entrepreneurs across the state. That’s exactly the kind of outcome we want from programs like InvestAL.”
The company’s growth reflects a broader trend. Small businesses are adopting digital tools to meet rising customer expectations around speed and convenience. From contactless payment to mobile ordering, modern service has become standard. Table Needs helps make that shift accessible to businesses with limited resources.
As it scales, the company is focused on removing friction and giving restaurant owners the confidence to run sustainable, profitable businesses. The next phase includes deeper product integrations, stronger financial reporting and expanded support for first-time and scaling entrepreneurs.
The vision is a future where independent restaurants and food trucks can thrive using smart, approachable technology — and where Alabama is recognized not just for its culinary scene, but for the innovation powering it behind the scenes.
It’s a future Innovate Alabama is proud to support.
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