Technology Challenges: Growing Pains
with Outdated Tools
Before partnering with PAR and 24×7
Hospitality, Casa Milner struggled with an
aging NCR Aloha POS system and manual processes that created real headaches for staff and guests alike.
Key challenges included:
• Frequent downtime during peak hours, especially at lunch, when the system would freeze or goes offline.
• Painfully slow credit card transactions, taking up to 15 seconds per order — clogging the drive-thru and frustrating employees.
• Rigid system limitations, making simple menu or price changes difficult and expensive.
• Limited third-party integrations, which stifled plans to add loyalty programs, new payroll tools, and delivery partners.
• Minimal local dealer support, forcing the team to rely on patchwork fixes and workarounds.
• Third-party delivery issues, caused by missed orders, refund disputes, and associated revenue leakage.
As Chris Elkins recalled, “Our team was
doing everything they could, but it’s
tough when your tools just slow you
down.”
Background: Modernizing a Brand with Loyal Fans and Local Roots
Casa Milner, led by CEO Jack Milner and COO Chris Elkins, is a Taco Casa franchisee group, proudly operating eight locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. For decades, Taco Casa has been known for its simple, delicious taco menu — and its fiercely loyal fan base who rave about the quality and consistency that hasn’t changed since 1972.
But with that legacy came the challenge of modernizing store operations without sacrificing the brand’s beloved simplicity.
“We have a very passionate customer base,” said Jack Milner. “When people hear Taco Casa, they light up. We want to keep that same great experience while ensuring we can run smarter and more efficiently behind the scenes.”
Jack and Chris, who have worked together on and off for more than 30 years, share a hands-on leadership style. From troubleshooting technology to making tacos on the line during busy shifts, they know exactly what works — and what holds them back.
Finding the Right Fit: A Proven Solution for Franchisee Success
After evaluating several vendors, including SpotOn and Square, deployed by trusted partner 24×7 Hospitality, was the right fit.
“Seeing another Taco Casa franchisee succeed with PAR in our environment gave us confidence,” Jack explained. “And 24×7’s willingness to find a solution that worked for our hardware and budget made it possible to move fast.”
Rather than buy all new hardware upfront, Casa Milner worked closely with 24×7 Hospitality to overlay PAR POS on existing Windows systems, a huge cost-saving move that reduced capital outlay while speeding up deployment
“We cloned all our terminals, tested the setup with 24x7, and rolled out quickly — with no major disruption,” Chris said.
Building an Open, Future-Ready Tech Stack
Another critical factor for Casa Milner was PAR’s open API and proven integrations with other tools Casa Milner leverages.
“Sometimes you don’t know what you’ll need until you see what’s possible,” Chris said. “With PAR, we were able to quickly roll out integrations for payroll advances with TapCheck, back-office management with Restaurant365, and gift cards.”
During a recent test run with Paytronix, Chris was amazed: “We sold, redeemed, and reloaded gift cards in 20 minutes — it just worked right away because PAR has a strong integration already built in.”
And they’re just getting started. From exploring AI voice ordering to new third-party delivery solutions, Casa Milner has a flexible foundation for innovation — all without needing to overhaul their system every time the business evolves.
Recovering Third-Party Delivery Losses
Like many operators, Casa Milner Group was feeling the strain of third-party delivery issues—missed orders, refund disputes, and revenue leakage. That changed when they turned to PAR OPS™ Recovery, a fully automated solution that identifies and recovers lost delivery dollars.
The results speak for themselves: Casa Milner is projected to recover $8,711 annually across all stores (about $1,088 per location)—with the system running quietly in the background.
Contact 24×7 Hospitality to see how much PAR OPS™ Recovery could return to your bottom line—and start turning delivery losses into effortless profit
A Partnership That Feels Like Family
For Casa Milner, success is about more than technology — it’s the partnership that keeps it all running. Choosing PAR wasn’t just about new software; it was about building a long-term relationship that goes well beyond installation.
From day one, 24×7 Hospitality stepped in as a hands-on, trusted partner. The 24×7 team worked alongside Chris and Jack to tailor the POS deployment to Casa Milner’s real-world needs, helping them get up and running fast — and stay running smoothly.