Your own ordering website vs. delivery marketplaces: what restaurants should know
Delivery marketplaces are a fast way to get in front of new customers. But every order that comes through one is an order where someone else owns the customer relationship, and usually takes a cut. Your own ordering website flips that. Here's how the two compare.
What marketplaces are good at
- Discovery — people browsing the app can find you without knowing your name.
- Speed to start — you can be listed quickly, with little setup.
- Built-in delivery network — some include riders, so you don't need your own.
Where they cost you
- Commission on every order — marketplaces typically charge a percentage per order, which comes straight out of your margin. Always check the current rate in your agreement.
- You don't own the customer — the customer belongs to the app, so you can't message them with a new offer or bring them back directly.
- Your brand is one of many — your menu sits beside competitors', and pricing pressure follows.
What your own ordering website gives you
- Better margin — you keep more of each order, because there is no marketplace commission on it.
- Customer relationships — you know who your regulars are and can reach them with offers, for example over WhatsApp.
- A consistent brand — your menu, your photos, your rules.
- One system — orders land in the same place as your in-store sales.
The trade-off is that customers must find you first. That's the job of your existing customers, your social pages, and QR codes at your shop and on packaging.
A sensible mix
You don't have to pick a side. Many restaurants keep a marketplace listing for discovery while steering regulars to their own site, where the margin is better. The practical steps:
- Put a QR code for your own ordering site on every bag, box and table. See QR code ordering for restaurants.
- Make ordering direct as easy as ordering from an app: no download, no long sign-up. Phone verification is enough.
- Show live order status, so customers don't call to ask where their food is.
- Message repeat customers with an offer that's only available direct.
Where Bisserv fits
The Bisserv Online Store gives you your own ordering website, QR ordering, customer accounts with phone verification, live order tracking and an order inbox for your staff. It's designed to work alongside the POS you already use, or as part of the full Bisserv Ecosystem. Book a demo to see it.