Own your ordering: why takeaways are taking orders back from the apps
Marketplace apps are brilliant at one thing: putting your menu in front of people who have never heard of you. That's worth paying for. What's harder to justify is paying the same commission on the regulars who already know your name, walk past your door and would happily order direct if it were just as easy.
The maths nobody prints on the menu
Delivery platforms charge a commission on every order, and on their delivery plans it can run to 30% or more of the order value before card fees. On a £30 Friday night order, that can be the best part of £10 that never reaches the kitchen. Across a busy weekend, the platform is often the biggest supplier you have.
A direct ordering website changes the shape of that cost. You pay for the site and for card processing, and the margin on each order stays with you.
Direct only works if it's as easy as the app
People rarely order direct out of loyalty. They order direct when it's quicker. That means a menu that loads instantly on a phone, a basket that remembers them, Apple Pay and Google Pay at checkout, and clear collection or delivery times.
For The Chippy Maidenhead, that meant Order Ahead: pick the time you want your food, and it's ready when you walk through the door. No queue, no phone call, no guessing.
You get your customers back
On a marketplace, the customer relationship belongs to the platform. On your own site you can, with permission, tell people the new special is on, see which dishes actually sell, and thank your regulars properly. Cavanis Pizza pairs its site with a regularly updated blog of recipes and kitchen stories, which gives people a reason to visit that isn't just a discount code.
Keep the apps, change the mix
We rarely advise leaving the marketplaces overnight. Use them for discovery, and use every bag, box and receipt to invite people to order direct next time. A card in the bag with a QR code and a small thank-you on the first direct order does more than you'd expect.
A quick checklist
- Your menu loads in under two seconds on a 4G connection
- Apple Pay and Google Pay at checkout
- Collection slots or order-ahead times
- Allergen information on every dish
- Order alerts the kitchen actually hears on a busy night
If you're weighing this up, we're happy to look at your numbers and tell you honestly whether direct ordering is worth it for you.