Online restaurant ordering has become a major part of how people buy food. Customers browse menus on their phones, compare options, and often decide where to eat based on how easy it is to place an order. For many restaurants, digital orders are now a steady part of daily operations, whether they’re for pickup, delivery, or takeout.
As restaurants adapt to this shift, an important question comes up: should online orders come through third-party delivery platforms, or should customers order directly from the restaurant’s website?
Both options have advantages, and many restaurants use a mix of the two. But understanding how each approach works, and what it costs, can help restaurant owners make smarter decisions about how they structure their online ordering.
How Third-Party Delivery Apps Changed Restaurant Ordering
Platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub transformed the way customers discover restaurants. Instead of searching for a specific restaurant, customers can scroll through a list of options in their area, compare menus, and place an order in a few taps.
This creates immediate visibility for your restaurant, allowing you to appear in front of thousands of potential customers without building your own delivery infrastructure or marketing system. Delivery drivers are already part of the platform, and the ordering interface is familiar to many users.
Because of that convenience, third-party apps became a fast and simple way for restaurants to offer online ordering. However, that convenience comes with tradeoffs.
The Cost of Third-Party Delivery Platforms
Most third-party ordering platforms charge restaurants a commission for each order placed through their system. Depending on the service and partnership level, those commissions often range from 15% to 30% per order.
For restaurants operating on tight margins, that percentage can add up quickly. A $60 order placed through a delivery app may result in a significant portion of that revenue going to the platform before food costs, labor, and packaging are even considered.
For some restaurants, those fees function as a marketing expense. The platforms introduce the restaurant to new customers who might not have found them otherwise. But many restaurant owners eventually begin looking for ways to balance that exposure with systems that allow them to keep more of each sale.
The Advantages of Offering Online Ordering on Your Restaurant Website
When customers place orders directly through a restaurant’s website, the structure of the transaction changes in a few meaningful ways.
First, the cost structure is typically much lower. Website-based ordering systems usually charge small transaction or processing fees rather than a large percentage commission on every order.
Second, the restaurant maintains full control over the customer experience. Instead of interacting primarily with a delivery platform’s interface, customers see the restaurant’s brand, menu presentation, photos, and messaging. The restaurant controls how its food is displayed and how customers move through the ordering process.
Another significant advantage is access to customer information. When someone orders directly from a restaurant’s website, the restaurant can collect email addresses, order history, and preferences. This information allows restaurants to build relationships with repeat customers through loyalty programs, email promotions, or special offers.
Over time, those direct connections often become more valuable than the exposure provided by third-party platforms.
Balancing Convenience and Ownership in Restaurant Ordering
For many restaurants, the most practical approach isn’t choosing one system over the other. Instead, it’s finding a balance.
Third-party apps can still play an important role in discovery. They introduce restaurants to new customers who may be browsing options nearby. That exposure can help generate first-time orders.
But once a customer discovers a restaurant, the restaurant’s own website becomes the place where repeat orders can happen more efficiently. Encouraging customers to order directly allows restaurants to keep more revenue and maintain stronger relationships with their regular diners.
Our team at Restaurant Den builds websites specifically for restaurants, designed to make menus easy to browse and online ordering simple for customers. If you’re exploring ways to add ordering to your website, or improve the system you already have, we’re always happy to help restaurants create online experiences that work smoothly. Let’s chat.
