Restaurant Ordering System – Stop Paying 30% to Third Parties

Delivery platforms like Foodora and Uber Eats have made it easy for guests to order food online. But the convenience comes at a price – and it is the restaurants that pay.

Commission fees from third-party platforms typically range from 15–30 percent of the order value. In Sweden, restaurateurs have reported that Foodora's effective commission can reach around 30 percent or more of the gross order value. When you add delivery costs and other fees, the total cost of a delivery order can exceed 40 percent of revenue, according to an analysis by ActiveMenus.

The question more and more restaurant owners are asking is: do I really need to pay for this, or can I offer online ordering myself?

The Problem with Third-Party Platforms

Third-party platforms like Foodora, Uber Eats, and Wolt serve a purpose – they expose your restaurant to guests who might not have found you otherwise. But the relationship comes with several drawbacks.

Commission Eats Your Margins

A restaurant with typical margins of 5–15 percent cannot give away 30 percent of revenue and remain profitable. In practice, many restaurants either raise prices on the platforms (meaning the guest pays more) or accept that delivery orders run at a loss or minimal profit.

You Do Not Own the Guest Relationship

When a guest orders through Foodora, they are Foodora's customer, not yours. You have limited access to guest data – who ordered, how often, and what. This means you cannot build a direct relationship, send offers, or build a loyalty programme.

You Do Not Control the Experience

Delivery time, packaging, and contact with the guest are handled by the platform. If something goes wrong – cold food, wrong order, late delivery – the blame still falls on the restaurant in the guest's eyes.

The Algorithm Determines Your Visibility

Your placement in the platform's search results is controlled by an algorithm influenced by commission level, ratings, and activity. You cannot fully control where or how you appear.

The Alternative: Your Own Ordering System

Your own ordering system means guests order directly from your website, a QR code in the restaurant, or a direct link – without an intermediary.

No Commission

With a unified platform's online ordering, you pay no commission per order. The feature is included in the base price without additional module costs. This eliminates the significant cost drag of third-party platforms that take 15-30 percent commission on every order.

You Own the Guest Data

Every order gives you names, contact details, order history, and preferences. With Vendion's marketing tools, you can use this data for targeted campaigns, reminders, and loyalty offers.

Seamless POS Integration

Orders placed online land directly in the POS system and on the KDS screen in the kitchen. No manual entry, no risk of double handling.

QR Ordering at the Table

Online ordering is not just about delivery. QR-based table ordering – where the guest scans a code, views the menu, and orders from their phone – reduces wait times, relieves staff, and increases average spend. Restaurants implementing QR ordering report average spend increases of 10–20 percent because the guest has time to browse the menu without pressure.

Do I Still Need to Be on Foodora?

The short answer: it depends.

Third-party platforms have value as a marketing channel. They expose your restaurant to new guests. The problem arises when you become dependent on them as your only order channel.

A smart strategy is to use the platforms to reach new customers, but redirect as many as possible to your own ordering channel. You can do this by:

Including a flyer in every delivery order. "Order directly from us next time – 10% off your first order via vendion.com/yourrestaurant."

QR code in the restaurant. Guests who dine with you and enjoy the food can easily order for delivery next time through your own channel.

Social media and Google. Link to your own ordering page, not to Foodora.

SMS and email. Use guest data from your own orders to stay in touch.

What Should an Ordering System Handle?

When evaluating ordering systems, look for:

Menu management: Easy to update with images, descriptions, allergens, and prices. The menu should sync with the POS menu automatically.

Payment: Integrated online payment (card, Swish) handled directly in the order.

Delivery vs pickup: Support for both delivery orders and restaurant pickup.

KDS integration: Orders should land directly on the kitchen screen without manual entry.

Scheduled order windows: Ability to control when you accept orders and how many per time slot.

Design and branding: The ordering page should look like your restaurant, not a generic platform.

A unified platform with built-in online ordering offers all of this – with full integration with POS, KDS, inventory, and marketing tools.

The Value of Owning Your Order Channel

The cost advantage of running your own ordering channel is substantial. By eliminating third-party commissions – whether 15, 20, or 30 percent – you keep significantly more margin on every order. Combined with owning your customer data and building direct relationships, this makes a strong business case for your own ordering system.

Even if you cannot move all orders from third parties immediately, every order you successfully convert to your own channel is a direct margin improvement to your bottom line.

Take-Away and Delivery Without an App

You do not need your own app to offer online ordering. A web-based ordering page works in all browsers, requires no download, and can be shared via a simple link or QR code. This gives guests a frictionless way to order while keeping hosting costs low.

A modern ordering page should be mobile-optimised, load quickly, and integrate with your existing website. Guests should be able to order without unnecessary account creation hurdles.

Summary

Third-party platforms have a role as a marketing channel, but making them your only order channel is an expensive decision. Commission fees of 15–30 percent (or more) erode your margins and hand the guest relationship to the platform.

Your own ordering system like Vendion's online ordering gives you control over the order, guest data, the experience, and – most importantly – your margins. It is not about choosing one or the other, but about building your own channel as a complement and gradually reducing dependence on third parties.

Every order that goes through your own channel instead of a third-party platform is a direct saving.