Online ordering systems compared.

Ordering platforms have at least four price levers, and vendors mix them in ways that obscure the true cost. Always reconstruct your monthly bill from these components — not from the headline number on the pricing page.

1. Platform subscription. Flat monthly fee. Ranges $0–$899/mo.
2. Per-order fee. Either a flat $0.50–$2.50 or a percent (typically 2–8%). Some “commission-free” vendors charge a “marketing fee” that is functionally a per-order fee.
3. Payment processing. 2.9% + 30¢ is the industry floor. Some bundle it; some pass it through; some quietly mark it up to 3.5%+.
4. Delivery fee. If you offer delivery, who pays for the courier? Customer-paid, restaurant-paid, or split. Margin implications differ significantly.

Watch for hidden levers: setup fees, “feature unlock” charges (loyalty module, SMS module), per-location fees, and contract auto-renewals that re-price at year three.

All figures below are list prices as of 2026. Negotiated pricing varies. Always ask for the written quote and read the auto-renewal clauses.

The cheapest platform depends entirely on your volume. Here is the total monthly cost of each at three benchmarks, assuming an average order value (AOV) of $35.

At 100 orders / month ($3,500 GMV)

At 500 orders / month ($17,500 GMV)

At 1,000 orders / month ($35,000 GMV)

Above ~$6,650/mo in GMV, the flat-fee model on RestaurantGPT or the subscription model on ChowNow beats per-order pricing decisively. Below that, pay-as-you-grow is more efficient.

The most expensive failure mode in ordering software isn't the per-order fee — it's an order that lands on a tablet by the host stand and never makes it to the kitchen. A platform that does not integrate cleanly with your POS quietly costs you orders, refunds, and bad reviews.

• Direct integration. The platform talks to your POS via a published API. Toast, Square, Clover have native partners. Best path.
• POS middleware. A translation layer that routes online orders into legacy POS systems. Adds $50–$150/mo but works reliably.
• Tablet-only. The platform sends orders to a dedicated tablet, requiring a staff member to re-enter them into the POS. Common with cheap vendors. Avoid past 50 orders/day.
• Print-only. Worst of all. A ticket prints, somebody has to notice it, and there's no two-way confirmation back to the customer.

If you offer delivery, your ordering platform should offer dispatch. The options:

• Marketplace handoff (DoorDash Marketplace, Uber Eats). Delivery courier comes from the marketplace. 30% commission. Last resort.
• Direct dispatch (e.g., DoorDash Drive). Same courier fleet as the marketplaces, but the order is on your site at your price. The courier is paid a flat $4–8 fee. Customer pays the delivery fee. Margin-positive.
• In-house delivery. Your own driver. Best margin if you have the volume to keep them busy; worst margin if you don't.

Most platforms support at least one. RestaurantGPT, Owner.com, ChowNow, and Toast all offer built-in same-day dispatch. Toast also integrates DoorDash Drive. Square does not natively dispatch — you must add a third-party app.

The most under-asked question in a sales cycle: who owns the diner's email and order history? The answer should be “you, the restaurant” — but it isn't always.

• You own the data: RestaurantGPT, ChowNow, Toast, Square, BentoBox. Exportable at any time as CSV; usable for marketing without restriction.
• Restricted use: DoorDash Storefront, Uber Eats Direct. You see the customer name and order, but cannot freely market to them via email/SMS outside the marketplace's rules.

A direct-ordering platform that doesn't give you full data ownership is a worse deal than it looks. Without the data, your marketing automation can't reach the customer, and you don't actually own the relationship.

• Auto-renewal length. 12-month contracts that auto-renew for another 12 months unless you cancel 30 days before. Renewal price often higher. Mark your calendar.
• Data export on exit. Some vendors charge an “export fee” or impose 30-day delays. Get it in writing that you can export customer and order data within 5 business days, free.
• Branding exclusivity. Some vendors prohibit you from running competing direct-ordering on a sub-route of your domain. Check.
• Domain ownership. If they registered your domain on your behalf, get the transfer auth code now, while everyone is friendly.
• Refund authority. Who decides when a customer gets a refund? You, or them? “Them” means surprise charges deducted from payouts.

Short heuristic:

• Single-location independent, < $6k/mo online: RestaurantGPT PAYG or Square Online. PAYG protects you if a slow month hits.
• Single-location, $6k–$30k/mo online: RestaurantGPT Flat, ChowNow, or Toast Online Ordering if you're already on Toast POS.
• Multi-location: RestaurantGPT Flat with multi-location pricing, Toast Online Ordering with Toast POS, or BentoBox if brand presentation is the top concern.
• Heavy paid-ad spender: Owner.com is built around the ad spend model. Make sure the ROI on ads net of their cut is real before committing.