How to Implement Online Ordering

Many guests now expect to order from their phone for pickup or delivery, and a restaurant without online ordering can lose those orders to competitors who offer it. Done badly, though, online ordering eats margins through platform commissions and throws the kitchen into chaos. Here is how to implement it profitably in your cafe or restaurant.

Plan for Margins Before You Launch

Online orders carry costs that dine-in orders do not: commissions, packaging, payment fees, and extra labor. Before going live, work out what an average online order costs you and what it earns, so new volume adds profit instead of just adding work.

Choose Your Platform Strategy

There are three main ways to take orders online:

Online Ordering Options

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Ordering on your own website

Guests order directly through your website or app. You keep the sale minus payment processing (typically around 3%) and a software fee, and you own the customer data. You have to drive the traffic yourself, so growth is slower at first.

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Third-party platforms

Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and similar apps. They bring an existing customer base and handle delivery and much of the marketing. Commissions commonly run from about 15% to 30% depending on the plan, which squeezes margins.

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Hybrid approach

Use third-party apps for discovery and volume, and your own ordering for regulars at lower cost. Over time, move repeat guests from the apps to direct ordering.

A common path is to start on third-party platforms for volume, set up your own ordering system, and then move regulars to direct ordering with incentives such as a small discount or loyalty points.

Platform Cost Comparison

Compare the true cost of each channel, not just the headline fee:

Own Website Ordering

Software fee: often a flat monthly fee, roughly $50-300

Payment processing: around 3% per order

Total cost: usually a small share of order value

You own the customer data and relationship

You can market directly to your guests

Builds loyalty to your brand over time

Third-Party Platforms

Commission: commonly about 15-30% per order, depending on the plan

Higher tiers add delivery, marketing, and visibility

Total cost: often a quarter or more of order value

The platform controls most of the customer data

Limited ability to market to those guests directly

Guests may be loyal to the app, not to you

Commission Impact

Illustrative example: on a $30 order, a 25% commission costs $7.50, while direct ordering at about 3% processing costs around $0.90. Across 40 orders a day, that difference is about $264 a day, or close to $8,000 a month. Moving even part of that volume to direct ordering makes a real difference to margins.

Optimize Your Menu for Online Orders

Not every dish travels well. Build the online menu deliberately:

Online Menu Strategy

1Select travel-friendly items

Choose dishes that hold their quality 15-30 minutes after cooking. Crispy fried items go soggy, delicate plating falls apart, and some dishes lose too much heat. Focus on items that hold well.

2Simplify the options

Offer a shorter version of your full menu. Too many choices slow guests down on a small screen. Feature bestsellers and high-margin items, and remove complicated customizations.

3Write clear, appetizing descriptions

Online guests cannot see or smell the food, so descriptions do the selling. 'Slow-roasted pulled pork with tangy BBQ sauce' sells better than 'Pork Sandwich.'

4Add good photos

Clear, well-lit photos help guests decide and usually lift sales of the items shown. A professional shoot of your core items is often worth the cost, and good phone photos are far better than none.

Packaging Strategy

Packaging protects the food and represents your brand at the guest's table:

Packaging Essentials

Insulated containers

Good containers keep hot food hot for 30 minutes or more. They cost more per item, often somewhere around $0.50-1.50, but prevent complaints about cold food.

Leak-proof design

Sauces, soups, and drinks need secure containers with tight lids. Leaks mean bad reviews and wasted food, so test packaging before launch by shaking it hard.

Separate components

Keep crispy items away from sauces. Pack dressings and toppings separately so the guest can assemble the dish fresh.

Branded packaging

Put your logo and website on containers, bags, or stickers. It adds only a little per order and reminds guests they are eating your food, not the app's.

Budget roughly $1-3 per order for quality packaging, depending on the menu. It sounds expensive, but it prevents negative reviews that cost far more in lost business. Build it into your pricing.

Delivery Logistics Options

Choose the delivery model that fits your operation:

✓Platform delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub): they handle drivers and you pay the commission

✓Your own drivers: you control quality and timing, but you carry wages, insurance, and vehicle costs

✓Pickup only: no delivery costs; promote it as 'skip the line' ordering

✓Hybrid: your own drivers within a mile or two, platform drivers for longer trips

✓A local courier: negotiate a flat rate per delivery as a middle ground

✓Pickup-focused ordering: the highest margin, and it works well for destination restaurants

Delivery Economics

In-house delivery only pays off above a certain daily volume; below it, platform delivery is usually cheaper despite the fees. To find your break-even, divide the daily cost of your drivers (wages, insurance, fuel, and vehicles) by the delivery fee or commission you save on each order. That is the number of deliveries you need every day.

Integrate Online Orders With Kitchen Operations

Online orders should not disrupt dine-in service:

Kitchen Integration

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Tablet and printer setup

Send online orders to your POS or KDS, or to a dedicated tablet and printer. Mark them clearly, for example with a different ticket color, so they are not confused with dine-in tickets during a rush.

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Designated packing station

Set up a separate area to assemble and pack online orders, so it does not compete with dine-in plating and packaging stays organized.

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Prep time settings

Set realistic prep times, for example 15-20 minutes when it is slow and 30-40 minutes during a rush, so guests see an accurate pickup time before they order.

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Pause when needed

Pause online ordering during extreme rushes. 'Currently not accepting orders' is better than accepting orders you cannot deliver on time. Reopen when the kitchen catches up.

Online orders hit hardest at the same times as your dine-in rush. Our guide to managing peak hours covers how to throttle mobile orders and set up a separate pickup shelf so they do not slow down the line.

Pricing Strategy for Online Orders

Adjust pricing to cover the extra costs of online orders:

Costs to Account For

Third-party commission: commonly about 15-30%

Packaging: roughly $1-3 per order

Payment processing: around 3%

Delivery labor or fees

Marketing to drive orders

Staff time to pack and manage orders

Pricing Approaches

Match dine-in prices and absorb costs for volume

Mark up app prices to cover commissions, and say so openly

Set a minimum order, for example $15-20

Offer free delivery above a threshold, such as $35

Give a small discount for ordering direct

Bundle items into meals that raise the average order

Many restaurants charge more on third-party apps than in the dining room to cover commissions, and guests generally accept a small premium for convenience. Price each item so it still earns its target margin after fees and packaging; our guide to menu pricing shows how to set those prices.

Quality Control Systems

Keep standards high for food that leaves the building:

Quality Assurance Process

1Double-check every order

One person checks each order against the ticket before it is sealed: every item present, modifications correct, and quality acceptable. This prevents missing and wrong items.

2Verify temperatures

Pack hot food above 140°F and cold food below 40°F, and spot-check with a thermometer. Food safety matters more when food travels for 15-30 minutes before it is eaten.

3Keep presentation standards

Takeout should still look good when opened: neat packing, components separated, garnishes included. Guests post photos, so make them worth posting.

4Include everything

Utensils, napkins, condiments, and straws should all be in the bag when requested. Missing basics lead to bad reviews.

Feedback Loop

Track online complaints separately from dine-in complaints and fix recurring problems at the source. For example, if several guests complain about cold fries, change the packaging or venting for fries specifically.

Marketing Your Online Ordering

Launching online ordering does not bring orders automatically. Promote it actively:

•In-store signage: table tents and posters with a QR code to order online
•Social media: announce it on Instagram and Facebook with a direct link
•Email: tell your customer list you now take online orders for pickup or delivery
•Launch offer: a discount on the first direct order to drive trial
•Google Business Profile: add your ordering link
•Receipts and bags: add a sticker or card promoting direct ordering
•Staff: train servers and cashiers to mention online ordering to takeout guests

Measure Online Ordering Performance

Track these metrics to improve the online channel:

Key Online Ordering Metrics

Online share of sales

Online sales divided by total sales. Track it monthly to see whether the channel is growing and how it compares with dine-in.

Average online order value

Compare it with your dine-in check. If it is low, review your menu pricing, bundles, and minimum order.

Platform mix

Direct orders compared with third-party orders. Aim to shift a growing share to direct ordering, since every direct order saves the commission.

Order accuracy

Correct orders divided by total orders. Track wrong items, missing items, and quality complaints, and act on patterns right away.

Profit per order by channel

Order value minus food cost, packaging, and fees for each platform. This shows which channels are actually worth growing.

Online Ordering Questions

Should I use third-party platforms or build my own ordering system?

Many restaurants use both: third-party apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash for reach and volume, plus their own ordering for lower fees. App commissions commonly run about 15-30%, while direct ordering mostly costs payment processing and a software fee but needs your own marketing. Over time, move regulars to direct ordering with incentives.

How much should I mark up menu prices for online orders?

Many restaurants charge more on third-party apps than in the dining room to cover commissions, and keep direct-order prices at or near dine-in levels. Make sure each item still hits its target margin after packaging (roughly $1-3 per order) and fees. Be transparent, since hidden fees annoy guests more than clear prices.

What's the best packaging for takeout and delivery?

Use insulated containers that keep hot food hot for 30 minutes or more, leak-proof containers with tight lids for sauces, soups, and drinks, and separate compartments for dressings and toppings. Budget roughly $1-3 per order and build it into your prices. Branded stickers or bags cost little and keep your name in front of the guest.

Should I offer my own delivery or use platform drivers?

Platform drivers cost a commission but need no staff or vehicles. Your own drivers give you control over quality and timing, but add wages, insurance, and fuel. Divide your daily driver costs by the fee you save per order to find the daily volume where in-house delivery pays off; below it, platform delivery is usually cheaper.

How do I prevent online orders from overwhelming my kitchen?

Set realistic prep times (longer during rushes), pause ordering at extreme peaks, limit orders per time window, and use a separate packing station with clearly marked tickets. If the kitchen is falling behind, stop accepting orders temporarily rather than sending out late or wrong food, and add capacity gradually as the team adjusts.

Key Takeaway

Implementing online ordering well takes a clear platform strategy (often third-party apps plus your own ordering), a menu built to travel, good packaging, a kitchen setup that keeps online and dine-in orders apart, and prices that cover commissions and packaging. Track profit per order by channel and keep moving regulars to direct ordering, where you keep far more of each sale.