UberEats charges 15-30%. DoorDash charges 15-30%. Grubhub charges 15-30%. On a $50 order, you're giving away $7.50-15 in commissions. On 100 orders per week, that's $3,000-6,000/month in fees.
These platforms are valuable for discovery — new customers find you through them. But your repeat customers don't need a marketplace to find you. They know your name, they know your food. They just need an easy way to order directly.
You get your own branded ordering page — your restaurant name, your colors, your menu. Customers order directly from you. No middleman takes a cut.
You pay a flat monthly subscription ($9-29/month depending on the platform), not a percentage of each order. Whether you receive 10 orders or 10,000, your cost is the same.
The math: At $15/order average commission on 200 orders/month, you're paying $3,000/month to delivery apps. A $29/month subscription for direct ordering saves you $2,971/month. That's $35,652/year.
Print your direct ordering QR code on delivery packaging. Every customer who receives a delivery order sees your direct link next time.
Add your ordering link to your Google Business Profile, Instagram bio, and Facebook page. Customers who search for you land on your page, not a marketplace.
Send a WhatsApp/SMS message to your customer list: 'Order directly from us and save.' Customers who've ordered through apps are often happy to switch when they realize it helps their favourite restaurant.
Place table cards in your restaurant: 'Scan to order for pickup or delivery — direct from us.' Dine-in customers become direct ordering customers.
Customer data. When customers order through UberEats, UberEats owns the customer relationship. You don't get their email, phone number, or order history. With direct ordering, you own everything.
Brand control. Your ordering page looks like your restaurant, not like DoorDash. Your brand identity stays intact throughout the experience.
Menu flexibility. No marketplace restrictions on minimum prices, item photos, or menu structure. Your menu, your rules.
Loyalty programs. You can offer repeat-order discounts, loyalty points, and special deals to direct customers — impossible through third-party apps.
No. Delivery apps serve a real purpose: discovery. New customers who've never heard of you find you through app searches. That's valuable.
The smart strategy: use delivery apps for acquisition, direct ordering for retention. Let Uber bring you new customers. Then convert them to direct ordering for repeat business.
Over time, as your direct ordering grows, your dependence on (and cost from) delivery apps shrinks. That's the goal.
If you pay $3,000/month in delivery app commissions and switch repeat orders to a $29/month direct platform, you save approximately $35,000/year.
Don't leave them entirely. Use apps for new customer discovery and direct ordering for repeat customers. This hybrid approach maximizes reach while minimizing commissions.
Put your direct ordering link on delivery packaging, Google Business, Instagram, and table cards. Customers are often happy to order direct when asked.
No. Platforms like Rioxly provide a branded ordering page. You don't need to build a website.
Yes. You pay a flat monthly fee regardless of order volume. No per-order charges.
