Why Your Restaurant Needs Its Own Online Ordering

Your restaurant needs its own online ordering because delivery apps charge a commission on every order, often 15% to 30%, while ordering on your own website usually costs a card fee of around 3%. Apps are useful for being found. They are an expensive way to serve the regulars who already know you and would happily order from you directly.

This guide walks through the numbers, what direct ordering really costs, and how to move repeat customers to your own site without leaving the apps.

Key takeaways

• Commissions are high: DoorDash lists 15%, 25% and 30% delivery plans; Uber Eats raised its lowest US delivery tier from 15% to 20% in March 2026.
• Direct is cheaper: ordering on your own site typically costs card processing, such as 2.9% + 30 cents per order.
• Guests are willing: 94% of US consumers in a 2026 Popmenu survey said they prefer ordering through a restaurant's own website.
• Keep both: use apps for discovery and your website for repeat orders.

How much do delivery apps really charge restaurants?

More than most owners add up over a year. DoorDash's US pricing page lists three Marketplace plans: Basic at 15% commission on delivery orders, Plus at 25% and Premier at 30%, with 6% on pickup orders. The higher plans buy more visibility, such as access to DashPass members and built-in ads.

Uber Eats raised its rates on March 11, 2026, according to Restaurant Dive. Its Lite tier went from 15% to 20% on delivery, Plus stayed at 25% (30% for Uber One member orders), and Premium stayed at 30%. Pickup commission rose from 6% to 7% for restaurants with matching in-store prices, and 10% otherwise.

On top of commission, many restaurants pay for in-app ads or promotions to stay visible. Those costs vary, so check your own monthly statements for the full number.

What does one order cost you on an app versus your own website?

Here is an example with round numbers. A guest orders $35 of food for delivery.

• On a 25% app plan: the commission is $8.75. You keep $26.25.
• On your own site, as pickup: a 2.9% + 30 cent card fee is about $1.32. You keep about $33.68.

That is a difference of about $7.40 on one order. Now say 150 orders a month come from regulars who would order from you directly if it were easy. In this example that is about $1,100 a month, or over $13,000 a year, that stays in your business.

Your numbers will differ. To run your own, multiply your average app order by your commission rate, then by the number of app orders from repeat customers each month. It is the same math hotels do with booking sites, which we cover in the hidden cost of Airbnb fees and saving on booking commissions.

Delivery from your own site costs more than pickup, because someone has to drive. You can use your own drivers or an on-demand delivery service that charges per trip. Even then, a flat delivery fee is often lower than a percentage of a large order, so compare both for your average basket.

Why do guests order on apps if they prefer the restaurant?

Mostly because the app is easier. In a Popmenu study published in October 2026, based on three surveys of 1,000 US adults each, 94% said they prefer ordering through a restaurant's own website over a third-party platform. The same study found that 51% are put off by ordering that is hard on a phone, 54% by a system that is hard to navigate, and 54% by not being able to customize an order.

So the preference is there, but only if your ordering works as well as the app. If your website hides the order button, sends people to a PDF menu, or breaks on a phone, guests go back to the app they already have open.

Price matters too. In a Toast survey of 850 US adults fielded in August 2024, 40% said higher prices were the most frustrating thing about delivery apps. Half of the guests in the Popmenu study said they now pick up more often instead of paying for delivery. Pickup from your own site is often the cheapest option for them and for you.

What else do you get from your own ordering?

Lower fees are the obvious win. These matter just as much over time:

1. Guest contact details. Orders on your site give you the guest's name, email and order history. Apps keep most of that relationship. In the Popmenu study, 70% of consumers said they would join a restaurant's mailing list. Our guide to turning guest emails into repeat revenue shows what to do with the list.
2. Your menu, your prices. You decide what appears, how dishes are described and photographed, and which add-ons are offered.
3. Your brand. The guest sees your restaurant, not a scroll of competitors one tap away.
4. Your own deals. A "10% off when you order direct" offer or a loyalty reward costs less than a commission and gives guests a reason to switch.

Should you leave DoorDash and Uber Eats?

Usually not. The apps put you in front of people who have never heard of you, and that has real value. The problem is paying discovery prices for guests you already have.

A balanced setup looks like this:

• Apps for new customers, on the lowest plan that still gives you enough orders.
• Your website for repeat customers, with ordering that is easy on a phone.
• A nudge in every app order, such as a card in the bag that says "Order direct next time" with a QR code to your site and a small perk.

Check each app's terms before adding inserts or offers, since rules on promotions and pricing can differ by platform and plan.

What does good direct ordering look like on a website?

It should take fewer taps than the app. In practice:

• An "Order online" button in the header of every page, next to "Book a table" if you take reservations.
• A web menu, not a PDF, with prices, photos and dietary tags. See our restaurant website must-haves for the full list.
• Pickup times and delivery areas shown before checkout, so there are no surprises.
• Fast checkout with Apple Pay or Google Pay, and guest checkout without forcing an account.
• A fast mobile page. Most orders start on a phone. Our post on why fast mobile sites earn more explains what to check.
• The same link on Google. Add your direct ordering link to your Google Business Profile so people searching your name can order with you, not through an app.

What does it cost to set up?

Two parts. First, an ordering system. Many providers charge no commission and take a card processing fee instead. Square lists 2.9% + 30 cents per online transaction with no monthly fee on its free plan. DoorDash's own website ordering product starts at 0% commission, with processing of 2.9% + $0.30 per order on its Boost and Pro packages and 3.3% + $0.30 on Starter. Compare monthly fees, delivery options and how it connects to your point of sale.

Second, a website that makes ordering easy. At Art of the Code, a Website Redesign of your existing site starts from $499, Brand & Website starts from $799, and Premium starts from $1,099 and adds a social media design kit and Google Business Profile setup. The ordering system itself comes from a separate provider with its own fees.

FAQ

Is direct online ordering really cheaper than delivery apps?

Usually, yes. Apps charge a commission on each order, often 15% to 30% for delivery. Direct ordering on your own site typically costs a card processing fee of around 3% plus a small fixed fee. Delivery from your own site adds driver or courier costs, so compare those too.

Will customers actually order from my website instead of an app?

Many will, if it is easy. In a 2026 Popmenu study, 94% of US consumers said they prefer ordering through a restaurant's own website. Make the button easy to find, keep checkout short, work well on phones, and give regulars a small reason to switch.

Can I offer lower prices on my own website than on delivery apps?

Many restaurants price their own channel lower or add a direct-only perk. Some app plans tie lower rates to matching prices, as Uber Eats does for pickup. Read your agreement with each platform before changing prices or adding offers.

Do I need my own drivers for direct delivery?

No. You can offer pickup only, use your own staff, or use an on-demand courier service that delivers orders placed on your site for a per-trip fee. Many small restaurants start with pickup and add delivery once direct orders grow.

How do I move regulars from apps to my website?

Put a card or sticker in every app order with a QR code to your ordering page and a small perk. Add the link to your Google Business Profile, Instagram bio and receipts. Then collect emails at checkout so you can reach those guests directly.

The bottom line

Delivery apps are a good shop window and an expensive cash register. Keep them for new guests, and give your regulars an easy way to order from you directly. Start with one action this week: open your last monthly app statement, add up the commission, and work out what you would keep if a quarter of those orders came through your own site.

Want help making your website the easiest way to order? Book a call and ask for a free look at your site.

Sources

• DoorDash for Merchants, "Commission Rates & Pricing" (US plans: Basic, Plus, Premier; accessed November 10, 2026)
• Restaurant Dive, "Uber Eats increases marketplace fees" (Julie Littman, March 10, 2026)
• Restaurant Technology News, "Research: 94% of Consumers Prefer Ordering Directly From a Restaurant's Website Over a Third-Party Platform" (October 13, 2026; Popmenu, three surveys of 1,000 US adults)
• Toast, "Food Delivery Trends: 2026 Insights And Data" (survey of 850 US adults fielded August 7, 2024)
• DoorDash for Merchants, "DoorDash Commission and Fees, Explained" (October 21, 2025)
• Square, "Online Ordering" pricing (accessed November 10, 2026)