Most restaurants and food businesses are having a hard time dealing with the fact that commission fees from between 15% to 35% are eating into profits from third-party platforms.
Finding the best direct online ordering systems is a must right now, especially since competition in restaurants and food businesses is far from easy. Most of the solutions available in the online ordering systems market have various features and prices, including free and paid services.
What makes the Best Online Ordering Systems?
Top quality online ordering systems are easy to use and has powerful functionality that gives you control over your customer experience and profits.
An ideal system should integrate smoothly with your existing operations and should handle pick-up, delivery, and dine-in orders. Look for platforms that offer real time order management, payment processing, and customer communication tools.
Most customers order from their smartphones, so mobile compatibility is non-negotiable. You should choose a system that provides inventory management, customizable menus, and detailed analytics.
The best restaurant online ordering system should provide scalability that allows you to build your business. The best systems have security features like SSL certificates and PCI compliance to protect your business and customers.
How to Compare Online Ordering Systems
When comparing online ordering systems, you want to consider your order volume, average order size, growth plans, and the price structure.
Calculate the total monthly expenses, including setup fees, transaction fees, and any additional charges for premium features. See how it integrates with your existing POS system, payment processors, and accounting software.
Test customer support responsiveness and available resources, and check mobile app availability and customization options. Also, be sure to check contract terms, cancellation policies, and data ownership rights before deciding.
Here are the main factors you can check in the table above for how different online food ordering system for restaurants compare:
- Free plan available
- Starting price
- Order commission charged
- Setup fees
- Pickup order capability
- Delivery order capiability
- Dine-in order capability
- Booking/reservation capability
- Landing page creation
Free Plan Available
Free plans are particularly valuable for new businesses that are testing how to create an online food ordering system. Several platforms in this comparison provide free tiers, though the features are often limited.
Cloudwaitress offers the best free plan of them all. The free plans work well for testing systems or could be a forever solution for very small operations, but growing businesses often need paid features like advanced analytics, marketing tools, or premium support.
Cloudwaitress online ordering systems can be used for free, as we give restaurant owners access to essential features without upfront costs.
The free plans include basic ordering functionality, limited customization, and standard customer support. However, there is a restricted order volume, limited access to advanced features and you’ll need to use Cloudwaitress platform branding.
Starting Price
Monthly subscription costs vary across each platform, from free options to premium systems exceeding $149 monthly. Cloudwaitress paid plans are the most affordable, starting at $39 monthly, competing against expensive alternatives like 247Waiter ($45), EatApp ($127), and ChowNow ($149).
Some platforms offer multiple pricing tiers with different feature sets while others provide custom pricing for larger operations. The average cost of online ordering systems is $97 per month, which makes Cloudwaitress’s pricing attractive for small and medium-sized businesses alike.
Order Commission
Cloudwaitress charges no commission fees, while platforms like Menu.ca take 10% per order and iMenu360 charges 3% with a $150 monthly cap.
Commission-free systems, like Cloudwaitress, help restaurants retain more revenue per order. The money saved from commissions overtime often exceeds monthly subscription costs, especially for high volume operations.
A restaurant that processes $10,000 monthly through a 10% commission platform pays $1,000 in fees compared to commission-free alternatives where you’d pay nothing.
You can calculate commission costs using your average monthly order volume and ticket size, multiply monthly orders by average order value, then apply commission percentages to understand true costs.
This calculation often reveals that subscription-based systems offer better value than commission-based platforms.
Setup Fee
Cloudwaitress does not charge setup fees, which makes it easy to get started. However, platforms like Mobi2G charge $999 upfront, while ChowNow requires $399 initially. The setup fees usually cover account configuration, initial training, and system customization.
Some platforms justify higher setup costs by providing dedicated onboarding support or custom development. However, many modern systems offer self-service setup that takes these charges out entirely.
A platform with monthly fees but no setup costs might prove more economical than one with low monthly rates but substantial upfront charges.
Pickup
Pickup functionality enables customers to order ahead and collect food at as soon as possible or at a time they schedule, which reduces wait times and improves efficiency. Effective pickup systems handle immediate and scheduled orders, provide accurate wait time estimates, and send customers notifications when orders are ready.
Cloudwaitress provides complete pickup features including scheduled ordering and automated notifications. Combining it with restaurant kitchen display systems or receipt printers simplifies operations by automatically routing pickup orders to preparation areas.
Some systems offer dedicated pickup displays in their interfaces, making it easy for staff to manage collection queues during busy periods.
Delivery
All platforms handle delivery orders, but the implementation quality varies significantly. Some systems are good at order processing but rely on external delivery partners and don’t allow you to use your own delivery staff or vice versa. Others provide complete delivery solutions including driver apps, route optimization, and real-time tracking.
Delivery features should always include zone-based pricing, the option to set minimum order requirements, delivery time estimation, and customer tracking.
Advanced systems offer driver dispatching, delivery confirmation, and performance analytics to optimize operations. Cloudwaitress includes delivery functionality with indluding delivery time estimates and driver coordination tools.
Dine-in
Modern dine-in functionality goes beyond traditional table service to incorporate QR code ordering and contactless payment options. QR code ordering became essential during the pandemic and remains popular for its convenience and safety.
Customers scan codes at tables to access menus, place orders, and pay without staff interaction. This reduces labour costs while improving order accuracy.
Effective dine-in systems should support table identification, order modifications, split billing, and kitchen coordination. Integration with POS systems ensures seamless order flow from customer phones to kitchen displays, maintaining service quality while reducing staff workload.
Cloudwaitress offers QR ordering with automatic table number recognition, enabling customers to order directly from their phones while dining.
Booking
Table reservation systems are meant to handle party sizes, time preferences, special requests, and confirmation communications. This improves customer experience and simplifies restaurant operations at the same time.
Advanced features include waiting list management, automatic table assignment, and integration with order systems for complete dining experiences.
Cloudwaitress includes booking capabilities, which allow customers to reserve tables alongside placing orders. Combined systems often provide better customer experiences and operational efficiency than separate online ordering systems for ordering and reservations.
Landing Page
Professional landing pages establish credibility and improve search engine visibility for your business. Your restaurant website should showcase your menu, provide easy ordering access, display contact information, and highlight special offers. Mobile optimization is crucial since most customers browse on their smartphones.
SEO features help local customers discover your restaurant through search engines. Cloudwaitress has landing page functionalities at no additional cost, while platforms like ChowNow charge extra fees for it. GloriaFood offers landing pages starting at $9 monthly.
When comparing landing page options, evaluate the customization capabilities, mobile responsiveness, and SEO tools. Some platforms offer basic templates while others provide extensive design flexibility.
FAQs
Can I switch online ordering systems if my current one doesn't meet my needs?
Yes, most platforms allow data export and contract cancellation, though terms vary. Before switching, ensure your new system can import customer data, menu information, and order history. Plan transitions during slower periods to minimize disruption. Choose systems with month-to-month contracts initially to maintain flexibility while testing functionality and customer response.
Do I need separate systems for pickup, delivery, and dine-in orders?
No, comprehensive platforms like Cloudwaitress handle all order types through a single interface. Integrated systems improve efficiency by centralizing order management, reducing training requirements, and providing unified customer experiences. Separate systems create complexity, increase costs, and often confuse customers. Look for platforms supporting your specific service models within single dashboards.
What hidden costs should I watch for in online ordering systems?
Common hidden costs include transaction fees, payment processing charges, premium feature upgrades, additional user accounts, and customer support fees. Some platforms charge separately for SSL certificates, hosting, or mobile apps. Review contracts carefully and calculate total monthly costs including all potential charges. Ask providers for complete fee schedules before committing to avoid surprises later.