To get customers to order direct, give them a reason to leave the delivery app: a simple link to your own commission-free ordering page, a small perk they cannot get on the apps, and a nudge at every touchpoint, from the bag to the receipt to the Google listing. Every order that moves direct saves you the 15 to 30 percent commission, which on a $35 ticket is $5 to $10 straight back into your pocket.
Why direct orders are worth chasing
Delivery apps are useful for discovery, but the math on repeat customers is brutal. You pay the commission on every order, including the regulars who already love you. Use the table below to see what one customer is worth.
| Channel | Order total | Typical fee | You keep (before food and labor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery app (25% commission) | $35.00 | $8.75 | $26.25 |
| Direct online order (3% card fee) | $35.00 | $1.05 | $33.95 |
| Difference per order | $7.70 |
Move 200 monthly orders and that is about $1,540 a month. Run your own numbers with the calculator linked on this page, and read how to use third-party delivery apps profitably for the other half of the strategy.
Step 1: Build a direct ordering page that is easy
If ordering from you is harder than tapping an app, nobody will switch. You need a mobile-friendly menu, saved payment, clear pickup times, and a link you can paste anywhere. Cobblestone POS includes commission-free online ordering that feeds straight into your kitchen tickets, with no monthly fee, so there is no extra tablet and no re-keying. Compare options in online ordering systems compared.
Step 2: Give a reason to switch
Customers are not loyal to your margin, so offer something real. Strong, cheap perks include:
- A free drink or side on a first direct order
- Points toward your loyalty program
- Exclusive items that are not on the apps
- Faster pickup windows for direct orders
Avoid blanket price cuts. A small perk usually costs less than the commission you save.
Step 3: Put the link everywhere
Direct ordering fails when nobody knows it exists. Add your link to:
- Your Google Business Profile order button (see setting up Google Business Profile)
- A QR code and short message on every delivery bag and receipt
- Instagram and Facebook bios
- Your email and text message marketing
- Table tents and the bottom of your in-house menu
The bag insert is the highest-converting spot because the customer is already happy and holding your food. A line like "Order direct next time and get a free cookie" works.
Step 4: Handle delivery yourself or with a flat-fee driver
Direct ordering for pickup is the easy win. For delivery, compare a flat-fee dispatch service against your own driver, and set a delivery radius where it still pays. Our guide on managing third-party delivery logistics covers the options.
What not to do
Do not delist from the apps overnight. Most owners keep one or two for discovery and treat them as marketing. Do not violate the app's pricing or promo terms, which vary, and check your agreement before running offers aimed at app customers. And do not put flyers advertising a discount directly inside app orders if your contract forbids it.
The goal is not to abandon delivery apps. It is to turn the customers they introduce into direct, commission-free regulars.
Track whether it is working
Watch three numbers each month: share of orders that are direct, average direct ticket, and repeat rate for first-time direct customers. A healthy target is moving direct from under 10 percent to 25 to 30 percent of off-premise sales within six months. With Cobblestone POS, online orders and in-house sales live in one report, which makes this easy to see, unlike platforms that charge around $470 a month once you add the modules.
Quick start checklist
- Set up your commission-free ordering page
- Pick one first-order perk
- Add the link to your Google profile and bio
- Print bag inserts this week
- Review direct share monthly
Free Direct Ordering Savings Calculator (Excel).