In an industry defined by razor-thin margins and high operational complexity, the digital transformation of restaurants has shifted from a luxury to a survival necessity. While many SaaS providers offer fragmented solutions, the Ukrainian-born startup Choice is positioning itself as the “all-in-one” operating system for the hospitality sector.
The company has officially announced the closing of a $7.1 million funding round, signaling a major push into the Mediterranean markets.
The Funding and Strategic Expansion
The round was led by the Portuguese venture fund Alea Capital Partners, with participation from the Polish fund Smartlink. Existing investors, including Reflex Capital and J&T Ventures, also doubled down on their support. This latest injection brings Choice’s total funding to $11.6 million.
The capital is earmarked for aggressive expansion into Portugal, Spain, and Italy. These markets represent a significant opportunity for Choice, as the southern European restaurant scene is currently undergoing a rapid post-pandemic digital overhaul.
“Choice solves one of the most pressing problems restaurants face today: how to operate efficiently in a dynamic market with structurally low margins”, noted Rui Escaleira, Co-founder of Alea Capital Partners.
Growth Metrics and Market Penetration
Choice has evolved significantly from its origins as a QR-menu provider. Today, it offers a comprehensive suite of tools including CRM systems, table reservations, feedback management, and integrated delivery services.
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Global Footprint: Currently operating in Ukraine, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
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User Base: Over 30,000 restaurants use the platform, with 7,000 paying clients.
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Transaction Volume: The platform processes over 1.5 million orders monthly, with a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of approximately $35 million per month.
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Key Polish Market: Poland remains a core hub for the company, with over 1,000 active restaurants and a dedicated local team of 30 specialists.
Building the AI Marketing Manager
The next frontier for Choice is the deep integration of Artificial Intelligence. The platform already utilizes AI for dish photo enhancement, but the roadmap is far more ambitious. Founders Alexey Ilyash and Volodymyr Olyanitskyi envision Choice as a tool that eventually replaces a restaurant’s marketing manager. Upcoming features include automated email campaigns, social media management, and AI-generated responses to customer reviews.
Previous Coverage
We have been closely following Choice’s trajectory over the past year. In March 2025, we reported on their €1 million investment round, which was instrumental in establishing their dominant position in the Polish market and setting the stage for this current multi-million dollar expansion.
Looking Ahead
As Choice enters the competitive landscape of the Mediterranean, the question remains: can a unified SaaS model truly standardize the highly localized and traditional restaurant cultures of Italy and Spain? If their track record in CEE is any indication, Choice is well-positioned to become the dominant infrastructure layer for European hospitality.
Source: Forbes Ukraine
