Own Your Orders
Independent restaurants don’t have to give up 15–30% of every ticket to third-party delivery apps. Direct online ordering platforms put the customer relationship, the data, and most of the margin back in the operator’s hands.
Below is a side-by-side look at the leading direct-ordering platforms for independent operators, plus a tier-by-tier pricing breakdown. Pricing current as of April 2026 — verify with each vendor before making decisions.
Why Direct Ordering
Third-party marketplaces such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub typically take 15–30% commission on every order — and that figure can balloon to 40% once you stack on payment processing, marketing fees, and dynamic surcharges. The operator never sees the customer’s contact information and can’t market back to them.
A direct online ordering platform — a branded ordering site or app that the restaurant runs itself — flips that math. Most charge a flat monthly fee (or no fee at all, with a small customer-paid convenience charge), and the restaurant keeps the order data, the customer relationship, and almost all of the revenue.
The six platforms below are the ones independent operators are most likely to evaluate today.
Platform Comparison
Flat monthly subscription with branded ordering site, QR menu ordering, takeaway, curbside, delivery, and Facebook ordering. Restaurant keeps all customer data. 30-day free trial with no credit card required.
Pricing model: Flat monthly subscription · Payment processing: Via 50+ processors (varies) · Setup fee: Not published · Customer fees: None set by platform · POS: Toast, Clover, plus integrations with major delivery platforms · Contract: Monthly — 30-day free trialTiered subscription with branded SEO website, mobile app, the Order Better Network diner marketplace, loyalty, email marketing, and POS integrations. Optional flat-fee Flex Delivery at $3.99 per order (often split with the customer).
Pricing model: Tiered monthly subscription · Payment processing: 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction · Setup fee: $119–$499 one-time · Customer fees: None on direct orders; Flex Delivery $3.99 flat · POS: Square, Toast, Clover, Revel, others · Contract: Monthly subscriptionTwo-tier model: Flex (lower subscription + 5% per order) or Flat-Rate (higher subscription, no per-order cut). AI-optimized website, branded mobile app, auto-SEO pages, loyalty, email & SMS, chargeback protection, and 24/7 support. A 5% order support fee is charged to guests on every direct order.
Pricing model: Two tiers (Flex sub + % or Flat-Rate) · Payment processing: Standard card processing (passed through) · Setup fee: Not published · Customer fees: 5% guest order support fee on every direct order · POS: Square, Clover, Toast (via Otter) · Contract: Month-to-monthFree branded ordering website with deep Clover POS integration, funded by a $1.75 flat customer convenience fee (which the restaurant can choose to absorb or waive at a minimum-order threshold). 14+ years in market with no monthly commitment.
Pricing model: Customer-paid convenience fee · Payment processing: 2.75% + $0.30 per transaction · Setup fee: Free website setup · Customer fees: $1.75 flat per order (can be absorbed) · POS: Clover (deep), Chowly bridge to others · Contract: No monthly commitmentSubscription + transaction percentage with hardware bundled in (tablet, Bluetooth printer). Branded website, iOS/Android app, QR code, social-media ad placements, marketing materials, 2-day funding, and a delivery fleet via DoorDash partnership. Restaurants can pass an optional service fee to consumers to zero out their transaction cost.
Pricing model: Subscription + transaction % · Payment processing: Included in flat rate · Setup fee: Hardware included · Customer fees: Optional service fee · POS: Proprietary tablet; DoorDash delivery partnership · Contract: No contract, no obligationsA different category — Chowly does not replace third-party commissions. It centralizes 150+ delivery apps into a single tablet/POS feed and offers dynamic pricing to offset 3P commissions. First-party delivery dispatch averages ~$3.61 per delivery vs. $7.99 on DoorDash Drive. Often pairs well with a direct-ordering platform from the list above.
Pricing model: Subscription (not publicly tiered) · Payment processing: Via underlying marketplaces · Setup fee: Varies by integration · Customer fees: Determined by underlying marketplace · POS: 50+ (Toast, Square, Clover, Revel, NCR Aloha, Upserve) · Contract: Contact salesPricing Tier Detail
Branded ordering website, POS integration, basic marketing.
Best for: Single-location operators starting with direct ordering.Hub features plus branded mobile app, loyalty, email marketing.
Best for: Growing independents wanting loyalty + mobile app.Pro features plus Order Better Network placement and advanced marketing.
Best for: Operators ready to invest in customer acquisition.Full platform: AI site, mobile app, SEO, loyalty, email/SMS, 24/7 support.
Best for: Operators just starting direct ordering (low fixed cost).Same full platform; no per-order fee.
Best for: Operators doing >$5K/mo online (better unit economics).Branded ordering portal, payment integrations, analytics, QR ordering, takeaway, curbside, and delivery.
Best for: Independents, food trucks, cloud kitchens, cafés, bakeries.Additional POS integrations, multi-location support, advanced features.
Best for: Multi-unit operators and concepts with complex ops.Free branded site, online ordering, no commission to the restaurant.
Best for: Budget-conscious single locations; customer absorbs the fee.Deep Clover POS integration.
Best for: Clover POS users wanting tight integration.Branded website, iOS/Android app, tablet, Bluetooth printer, QR code, social-media ads, marketing materials, DoorDash delivery fleet.
Best for: Operators wanting turnkey hardware + delivery included.Connects 150+ delivery apps to POS; dynamic pricing engine to offset 3P commissions.
Best for: Operators drowning in tablet chaos from multiple marketplaces.Lower-cost delivery dispatch for direct orders.
Best for: Operators wanting cheaper fulfillment for their own orders.How to Choose
A flat $69–$249/month subscription replaces 15–30% commissions on every direct order. At $5,000/month in online sales, even the highest-priced flat plan typically pays back inside the first week.
Some platforms (Menufy, Owner.com) push a fee onto the customer. Others (Restolabs, ChowNow) don’t add a guest fee at all. If you’re competing with the apps’ checkout sticker shock, a no-customer-fee model is a sharper story.
If you run Toast, Square, Clover, or Revel, almost every platform on this list integrates — but the depth varies. Ask each vendor for a live demo against your POS, not a generic walkthrough.
Most direct-ordering platforms either bundle a delivery network (Dylish via DoorDash, ChowNow Flex Delivery) or hand it back to you. If you don’t already run drivers, factor in $3–$8 per delivery on top of the platform cost.
Most independents end up running a direct-ordering platform plus a tool like Chowly to consolidate the marketplace orders they still get. The goal is to shift the share of orders coming through your own channel up over time.
Pricing and feature data current as of April 2026 and assembled from publicly available vendor materials. Verify with each vendor before signing a contract. RestaurantFeeHub does not receive compensation from any platform listed.
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We’ll be adding information to this list of restaurant platforms all the time. Get out of the delivery app trap and own your orders!